Accidental I Do
by NJ Coffee Queen
Summary: A night out with Draco Malfoy leads to unfortunate circumstances.
1. Chapter 1

Something new for the weekend! I own nothing.

* * *

Chapter 1

"We should get married."

Drunk as she was, Hermione Granger couldn't help but laugh at the outrageous proposal. Seated beside her at the bar was Draco Malfoy, a man who had long considered her beneath him. "Surely you can't be serious," she replied as she finished off her drink.

Draco shrugged and sighed. "I think I am," he said uncertainly. "And I think we should do it tonight before we both lose our nerve."

She set her empty glass down on the bar and eyed him suspiciously. "Why me?" she wondered.

Signalling the bartender, he ordered two more drinks for them. "Why not you?" he replied.

Hermione sat up straight and looked down at her refilled glass. "Because you hate me," she pointed out. Draco shrugged nonchalantly. "You only talk to me when you're drinking. We work in the same department, sit in on the same meetings, and you never even look at me."

"Funny, I always thought you were the one avoiding me," he replied.

"Well, I think you're drunk and have no idea what you're saying," she decided, tracing the rim of her glass with a finger.

Draco leaned on the bar and glared at her. "Yeah, how are you not more pissed right now?" he wondered. "We've gone drink for drink. The room is spinning. You still sound like you though."

"I told you that you should eat before going to the pub," she admonished. "You never listen though, do you?"

He seemed proud as he shook his head to let her know that, in fact, he had not taken her advice. "That's cheating," he told her. "Plus, it slows this whole thing down."

It had become something of a Friday night routine for the pair who never spoke outside of the pub. They had been enemies during seven years of schooling, and when he had been hired as a department assistant, Hermione had been sure she was in for more of the same treatment. Instead, he paid her no mind while in the office. Then, upon completion of his first week of work, their coworkers suggested grabbing a drink to celebrate. For the first time since they'd met, the pair talked. The next week, a note had been left on her desk, asking her to meet him at the pub at seven. She had gone weekly, and found that she enjoyed talking to the boy she'd once referred to as a ferret.

"So, you're saying you don't like talking to me?" she wondered, slowly sipping her drink.

Draco shook his head. "Why won't you marry me?" he asked.

"Because you're too drunk to mean it, and I'm not drunk enough to think that it's a good idea," she replied.

"Are you averse to marriage, or just me?" he wondered.

Sighing, she turned to face him. "I'm twenty," she stated. "Call me crazy, but that's far too young to get married. Besides, I always sort of thought it would be Ron. Now..."

Draco sat up. "Now what?" he asked. "The stories in the paper are true?"

After finishing off her drink in one swift gulp, Hermione nodded. "Blondes," she muttered. "Many, many blondes." She signalled for another drink and finished it quickly.

"Astoria Greengrass," he groused, finishing his firewhiskey. "She was supposed to be my blonde. Instead, the weasel got her. How does that even happen?"

Hermione shrugged and ordered them a round of shots. "Beats me," she replied. Draco handed her one small glass and took the other for himself. They held them up and clinked glasses before downing the bitter alcohol. "Are you going to be a bad influence on me?" she asked.

Draco grinned and ordered two more. "Probably," he replied with a cheeky smirk. "But you'll have fun. Your liver will eventually hate you though."

"There's most likely a potion for that," Hermione decided.

Draco merely chuckled and the pair continued drinking. It was sometime later that they finally stumbled out of the pub, Hermione's heels in her hand. Leaving was the last thing she remembered, and the morning after was painful.

The room was dark, the bed uncomfortable, and there was something heavy draped across her waist. Never before had she drunk so much during their nights out, and she now understood why. The nausea and headache she could handle. It was the forgotten bits of the night before that bothered her. And worse, she had no idea where she was or who lay beside her.

Dread and fear did nothing to calm her roiling stomach, but she had to know what had happened. Slowly, her heart pounding, she rolled over to face the mystery being snoring softly beside her. Her eyes had adjusted just enough to make out pale blond hair. "Oh, god, please be Draco," she said to herself. Though they were hardly friends, he was a step up from a random stranger. She shook his shoulders, hoping it would rouse him. She whispered his name, becoming louder and louder, and still he did not wake. Finally fed up with being the only conscious party, she slapped him.

"Ow, what the hell?" he asked, before groaning and burying his head beneath a pillow.

"Get up, Malfoy," she insisted. "Now. We did something last night or didn't do something, I don't know. And I want answers. And hangover potion. And pancakes."

He sat up and turned on the lights as he rubbed his stinging cheek. "Where are my pants?" he wondered.

Hermione held the blankets tightly over her bare chest. "What an excellent question," she muttered. "Did we...do you think we...we didn't-"

"Shag?" he finished for her. Hermione blushed and nodded. "Given our current state of undress, I'd say we did."

Hermione felt her stomach roll, and dashed to the bathroom. Draco winced as he gathered his clothes and dressed as she expelled the previous night's libations. When he finished his task, he picked up her dress and knocked on the bathroom door. "Hermione, I have your clothes," he told her, knocking again as the water began to run.

She wrenched open the bathroom door and glared at him. "It's Granger to you," she stated, grabbing her dress from his hands. With the door closed once again, he took to straightening up the room. She still had the bedsheet with her, but he arranged the comforter and pillows on the bed.

It was then that he spotted it.

A signed document; her signature, his signature, and a minister of the peace. "Actually, I think it's Malfoy," he called to her.


	2. Chapter 2

Wow-ee-wow! The first chapter got a great response! I just hope the rest of the story holds your interest.

* * *

Chapter 2

The bathroom door swung open and a crazed witch emerged. "What do you mean _Malfoy_?" she asked through clenched teeth.

He held up what he believed to be a marriage license. "I think you accepted my proposal last night," he stated.

She grabbed the parchment from his hand and read it. Then reread it, and read it again three more times. "We have to get this dissolved," she muttered. "I can't...we can't...is this really legal?"

Draco shrugged. "I'll have the family barrister take a look at it," he offered. "He can probably get this all cleared up in a couple of days."

That seemed to relax her, but on temporarily as her overactive mind went to work once more. "What do we tell people?" she wondered. "What if someone saw us? This would be front page news if _The Prophet_ got hold of it."

"They won't," he assured her. "I'll take care of everything, no one will find out, and this will all be over with soon enough."

Hermione scoffed as she searched for her shoes. "I thought _you_ wanted this," she replied, locating one shoe beneath the bed. "After all, you proposed to me and carried on and on about marriage last night. Why do _you_ want out so badly?"

"I was drunk," he said with a shrug of his shoulders. "Besides, you obviously don't want to be married to me. I'm not going to force you to stay married to me."

Sighing, she sat down at the foot of the bed and slipped her heels on. "I don't know you well enough to judge," she admitted. "Sure, we went to school together for seven years and we work together, but the most I know about you is what you drunkenly tell me on Friday nights. Half the time I'm not even sure if you're telling me the truth."

Draco sighed and sat down. "I was supposed to marry Astoria Greengrass," he told her. "Last weekend, in fact. We've known each other most of our lives, and started dating when we returned to school after the war."

Hermione nodded. "I remember," she said. "I caught the two of you in broom closets quite often."

He nodded ruefully. "Yeah, so I proposed just after she graduated," he continued. "Our mothers were thrilled. I think they had the wedding planned out the day we announced we were a couple. I've never seen my mother so happy. Anyhow, to make a long story short, I stopped by her family's house two days before the wedding so she could approve my robes. I walked into her room, and there she was, on top of your boy...ex-boyfriend."

"That's awful," she murmured. "I found out from Harry. He walked in on Ron and some woman at work, told him he had to tell me, and then waited a week. When he found out that Ron and I hadn't broken things off, he told me himself. I sent him a howler, broke up with him, and haven't spoken to him since."

"Did you love him?" Draco asked.

Hermione nodded. "I did, or at least I loved the Ron I thought he was," she replied. "You?"

Draco scoffed. "No, I've never loved Weasley."

"_Astoria_," she said with a roll of her eyes.

"Yeah, I did," he told her, any pretense of humor now gone. "I really thought she loved me too. Guess I was wrong."

Hermione frowned, understanding all too well how he felt. "Why did you never mention her?" she wondered. "We've spent every Friday night together for the last three months. I don't think she's ever come up. I didn't even know you were engaged."

"Her family's doing, I'm sure," he muttered. "Look, I really don't want to talk about this now. I'm going to take this to the barrister, and I'll contact you when I know anything."

Though she wanted more information, she let him go. Minutes later, she too left for her small flat in muggle London. Expecting to be alone, she was shocked to see Harry seated on her sofa with the newspaper and a cup of tea. "Morning," he greeted her. "Spend the night out?"

Groaning, she nodded and sat down beside him. "As much as I love to see you, why are you here?" she asked. In lieu of an answer, he handed her the paper. Her eyes widened as she read the headline - _Secret Couple Exposed!_ "So, you and Malfoy, huh?"

"It's nothing," she replied. Nothing but a marriage. "You know we always go out on Friday nights."

Harry nodded. "Yeah, but I don't think I've ever seen you two together in the paper," he said. "Maybe it's just because you're both single now."

Hermione frowned. "Wait, you knew he was with someone?" she asked. "I just found out this...last night."

"Ron told me about it after I caught him and Astoria Greengrass together," he confessed. "According to her, she was only marrying Malfoy to help boost his family's image. She never actually wanted to do it."

"That's awful," she said sadly. "Why would anyone go through all of that if they didn't love the person?"

Harry shrugged. "Don't ask me to understand crazy purebloods," he replied. "How did you not know about it?"

"He never mentioned it," she excused. "I never talked about Ron either though. We mostly complained about work or talked about the books we were reading. It wasn't until last night that relationships even came up."

He gestured to the picture of Draco and Hermione leaving The Leaky Cauldron hand in hand. "So, this isn't true then?" he asked. "The two of you are just coworkers who enjoy grabbing a drink together once a week?"

"Yes, Harry, that's all it is," she confirmed. They were just coworkers who drank together. And got married. And possibly shagged. Hermione, though, still remembered none of it.

Harry got to his feet and took his now empty teacup to the kitchen. When he returned he asked, "So, is it true that the two of you still don't talk at work?"

Hermione shrugged. "We tend to work on different projects," she mumbled, staring down at her hands and the ring she now noticed resided on her finger.

"I wasn't trying to make you feel bad," he said, sitting back down next to her. "Quite the opposite really. It's good that the two of you have made peace with one another, even if you have to be drunk to do it. It almost makes everything we went through worth it."

She turned and wrapped her arms around his neck. "You defeating Voldemort was what made it worth it," she told him. "Without you, I don't know where'd we be right now."

Harry chuckled. "Yeah, well, without you, I would have been held back as a first year," he replied.

Pulling back, she worried her bottom lip. "Harry, there's something I have to tell you," she said nervously. "It's about that article in the paper."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

_We need to talk. My floo is open. Just say Draco's room and it'll take you right to my suite._

_Until then,_

_Draco_

Upon receiving his note, Hermione did as he requested. Stepping into his room, she ignored the centuries' old art and expensive, hand-woven tapestries and focused on him. "Harry knows," she told him. "I'm sorry, I just couldn't keep it to myself."

"Who'd have thought you'd be the one with no self-control," he quipped, smirking. "I've only told the barrister. Actually, that's why I asked you to come over. The news is...not so good."

A worried look crossed her face. "We can't annul it?" she guessed. Draco shook his head. "What about a divorce?"

"Yeah, you know that whole 'til death do us part' vow?" he asked. "It would seem that the wizarding world take that very seriously."

Hermione felt lightheaded. She was married and there was no way out. "So, one of us has to die in order to get out of this?" she asked. "Witches and wizards _never_ divorce?"

"It's rare,'' he told her. "There has to be an extremely good reason. Abuse is the most common excuse used, but you have to be able to prove it."

"So, I push you down a flight of stairs, and it's over?" she asked.

He distanced himself from her. "First of all, please don't," he replied. "Second, if the Wizengamot finds the accused guilty, they send you to Azkaban. They take domestic violence very seriously."

"I wouldn't really push you down the stairs," she assured him, brow furrowed. "At least, I don't think I would."

He couldn't help but laugh. "I'm sure I'll give you plenty of reasons to think about doing it," he replied. "Hell, once my parents find out, I might beg you to do it."

"They don't know?" she asked.

Draco shook his head. "I talked to Franklin and that was it," he told her. "They've changed since the war. It really took a toll on them, especially my father. After that, I don't know, it's like they saw everything differently. They saw _people_ differently."

"People like me?" she asked.

He nodded. "It's crazy, right?" he said. "They were the two most bigoted people I've ever met. We were at the bookshop last week, and he heard the word mud...well, you know the word. My father pulled his wand, marched up to the man who said it, and threatened to blast him across the room if he said it again."

"Wow, that sounds nothing like the Lucius Malfoy I remember," she replied. "So, if they don't hate me because I'm muggleborn, then you must be afraid that they just hate me."

Taking her hand, he led her to his bed and sat down. "My mother, for as long as I can remember, wished she had a daughter," he told her. "There are, correction were, pictures of me in dresses when I was little. They've since been destroyed, so don't get your hopes up about seeing them. Anyhow, she's always dreamed about my wedding day because it would mean she might finally get that daughter. Eloping drunkenly with someone who doesn't actually want to be married to me sort of dashes all that."

"It's not so different," she replied. "She just wasn't there to see it. Maybe that's a good thing. Two drunken idiots trying to exchange vows is probably not what she had in mind for your wedding."

Draco nodded. "Do you think this will work?" he wondered. "I mean, you and I have never really gotten along sober."

Hermione shrugged. "We haven't exactly tried it," she pointed out. "I know we didn't get along in school, but we're adults now. Things seem better. We haven't tried to hex one another. That's got to be a good sign."

"I don't know. I thought you were ready to back in that hotel room," he said. "Can't say I would have blamed you."

"Well, I thought about it," she conceded. "Had you been someone else, I probably would have. I don't know why, but I trust you."

He snorted. "Sure that's a good idea?"

"Probably not," she replied with a laugh. "But you're my husband now. It's about time we learn to tolerate each other."

"Perhaps learn something about each other besides our alcoholic beverages of choice," he added. Though she agreed, she said nothing else. "Let's see. I hate any green food aside from apples, the Falmouth Falcons are my favorite Quidditch team, I find feet disgusting, and I always sleep with the bathroom light on."

Hermione smiled. "Feet are disgusting," she agreed. "I learned that from Harry and Ron who often went days without washing. It makes me cringe when people put their shoes on furniture."

Draco turned and made himself more comfortable. "Tell me something else," he prodded. "I want something embarrassing after I told you about the bathroom light."

Leaning back against the pillows, Hermione toed her shoes off and placed her feet on the bed. She considered his request for a moment and blushed. "Sixth year, Ron pestered me every day to help him with his homework," she told him. "And by help, I mean do. He claimed he was too busy with Quidditch to focus on his schoolwork. Then came Lavender Brown. I'll admit I was a bit jealous. Anyhow, he was now too busy with Quidditch and her to focus on school, so he became more and more persistent that I help him. So, I may have, in my jealousy, given him all the wrong answers to a week's worth of assignments."

"My wife, the Slytherin," he teased. "Merlin, that sounds odd."

Nodding in agreement, she said, "For now, let's just stick to Hermione and Draco. Although, I think you calling me by my first name is also a bit strange."

They fell into a comfortable silence as Draco pondered the surreal events of the past two days. "We have to go to work tomorrow," he said.

Hermione paled. "I forgot about that," she admitted. "What do we tell people?"

Draco shrugged. "What did you tell Potter?" he asked.

"Just that we got drunk, married, and that you were looking for a way to get us out of it," she replied. "He seemed...okay with it. Like he was happy that I made a mistake."

Draco looked down at the ring he'd worn since he awoke the morning before. "Do you want people to know?"

"Honestly?" she asked. "I'm not sure I do. A month ago, my break up with Ron was front page news. Things finally settled down until that picture of us was printed yesterday. I just...Merlin, I miss anonymity."

With a nod, he made a decision. "Okay, we'll only tell the people we deem important enough to know," he stated. "To everyone else, that article is a false rumor."

He only wondered how long they would be able to keep up the charade.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The office was abuzz with gossip before Hermione had even arrived. As she passed her colleagues' desks, she noticed how quickly some of them stashed away copies of the newspaper. Frowning, she stopped at Draco's desk and asked him to follow her to her office. "What's going on?" she asked after he shut the door.

Draco shrugged and sat down in front of her desk. "They've seen that picture," he replied simply. "You know we couldn't stop that. All we can control now is what we tell them."

"And you really think they'd believe us?" she wondered, sitting on the edge of her desk in front of him.

"Probably not," he replied with a smirk. "In fact, I think denying it will only make them believe that article more."

Hermione shook her head and stood up. "No, we're not telling them that we got married," she said emphatically. "We're not telling _anyone_ about that."

Getting to his feet, he stood before her, arms crossed, and frowned. "Would it really be so terrible?" he wondered. "Yes, we made a mistake. It's what people do, Granger. We're all infallible, even you. I just think it wouldn't be so bad if they knew that we got drunk and eloped, and it's all a big joke. What is it? You're afraid that people won't see you as perfect Hermione Granger, who always has the right answer and never does anything wrong?"

"No," she replied defeatedly. "That's not what I'm afraid of. But, Draco, this isn't just putting the wrong ingredient into a potion in Snape's class. This is something we can't undo. _That's_ what I'm afraid of."

He placed his hands on her shoulders for a moment before resting one on her cheek. "I know you like having everything planned out, and every plan has a contingency plan, and that plan has a contingency plan," he said softly. "But sometimes it doesn't hurt to be a bit spontaneous. And yes, in this case spontaneity landed you with me as a husband we'll never be able to divorce, but I'm sure we can make the best of it somehow."

She held his wrist, but did nothing to remove it from the side of her face. "So, this doesn't scare you?" she wondered.

Smiling, he shook his head. "It kinda doesn't," he confessed. "I mean, I know we were never friends, and I'm not entirely sure if we're friends now."

"I think we are," she told him.

"Do you think we can be the kind of friends who see one another more often than on Friday nights over drinks?" he asked.

Hermione smirked. "What choice do you have?" she wondered. "I'm your wife now."

"Have dinner with me tonight," he suggested. "It doesn't have to be anything fancy. We don't even have to go out in public. I can cook, you know."

"Don't you mean your house elves can cook?" she inquired.

He shook his head proudly. "No, I'll do it," he promised. "And you don't have to worry about food poisoning. It'll be good. Just say you'll think about accepting my offer."

Nodding, she promised to give him an answer later. "Now, go back to work before I have to write you up," she threatened.

* * *

"Harry told me what happened. How could you do that?" Ginny insisted before she had even sat down. "What about Ron? The two of you have been broken up for a month. Now you've married Malfoy? _Malfoy_, Hermione. You see nothing wrong with that?"

Hermione shrugged as she continued to peruse the menu. "First of all, tell Harry thanks," she replied evenly. "Secondly, if you're concerned about Ron's and my relationship, you've got nothing to worry about. I don't anticipate a reconciliation, and neither should you."

The redhead rolled her brown eyes. "Oh come on, Mione. You know this Astoria thing was just a lapse in judgment," she said.

"From what Draco's told me, it's been a pretty long lapse," Hermione commented. "That's not even taking into account all the other women before Astoria."

"Wait, those stories were true?" Ginny asked, her brow furrowed.

Hermione frowned. "Of course they are," she replied. "Why would you think they weren't?"

Ginny shrugged. "Ron said they weren't."

A mirthless laugh was all that came out of Hermione's mouth. Of course Ron denied his affairs. She expected nothing less. After all, he had spent months convincing her that what the papers printed was rubbish. At first, she too believed him, but then more and more pictures and quotes began to appear in the paper. Ron had called her paranoid, told her she was trying to make something out of nothing.

"You shouldn't believe everything he tells you," Hermione stated.

Ginny nodded. "But how is Malfoy any better?" she asked.

Rolling her eyes, Hermione signalled the waiter and placed her order. "I don't know that he is," she finally said once the waiter had walked away. "All I know is that we're in the situation that we're in, and we plan to try to make it work. Because we have no other choice."

"What does that mean?" the redhead wondered.

"It means we're together," she stated, looking around at the other patrons. "He's actually cooking for me tonight. And no, I don't think he intends to poison me. Not intentionally anyhow."

Ginny grinned and leaned forward. "Do you have a thing for Malfoy?" she asked.

Hermione sat back and considered the question. "He's been...nice to talk to," she stated as diplomatically as possible. "I don't know, Gin. Up until yesterday, we'd never spoken to one another sober. We never shared anything personal, never talked about anything with any real meaning. It's like Harry said - we were drinking buddies. Now, I don't know. I like talking to him though. He listens."

"Ron was never very good at that," his younger sister added.

Nodding in agreement, Hermione remained silent as their food was delivered. "The strangest part," she said after the waiter walked away, "is that I wasn't angry. I wanted to be, and maybe I was a little at first. But then we started talking, and it was just gone. Any anger I had toward this whole situation...it was just gone. He just calmed me down."

"Maybe this isn't such a bad thing then," Ginny replied. "Maybe he's not as bad as he used to be."

Hermione smiled. "No, he really isn't."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Later that evening, after the staff had left, Draco entered Hermione's office. "So, I could eat," he said casually as he leaned against the door frame.

"Yup," she mumbled, never lifting her eyes from the document she read.

Draco frowned. "You forgot," he surmised.

Sighing, she placed her quill on the desk and looked up. "I'm sorry," she said tiredly. "What?"

His scowl deepened as he turned to leave. "It's nothing. Forget it," he muttered.

Getting to her feet, she rounded her desk and jogged to keep up with him. He returned to his workspace to gather his belongings before leaving. "Wait," she said, holding onto his arm when she reached him. "It's just been a really busy day. Everyone I've run into has asked about that damn article, or they've stopped by to ask about it. I'm completely behind."

Picking up his bag, he shrugged. "It's fine," he replied. "I get it. We'll reschedule."

As he began to walk away, she tightened her hold on him and followed. "Would you just listen to me for a minute?" she asked. Huffing, he stopped and turned to face her. "I didn't forget. In fact, I've been looking forward to it since you asked."

"But?" he interrupted.

Shaking her head, Hermione smiled. "There's no but," she promised. "I was just hoping I could meet you there in, say, half an hour? I've got to finish this report before I go home tonight."

"Really?" he asked, not willing to get his hopes up just yet.

"Really," she confirmed. "And I'm starving, so I expect my dinner on the table the second I walk through the door."

Despite a roll of the eyes, Draco smiled. "You're a taskmaster, aren't you?" he asked.

"Starting to regret your proposal?" she wondered.

His brows furrowed. "Are you trying to make me regret it?" he countered.

Hermione shook her head. "Well, not yet anyway," she replied. "I'll see you at your house?"

Draco nodded and left for the lifts while Hermione returned to her office. Sitting down, she attempted to finish her work, but found herself unable to concentrate. Didn't she want him to regret his proposal? More importantly, didn't she want herself to regret it? It was just a piece of paper, she told herself. Nothing had changed.

Putting aside her quill and deciding her work could wait until morning, Hermione gathered her belongings and made her way to the exits. Arriving in the Atrium, she stepped into the first available floo and arrived quickly in Draco's room.

"What happened to half an hour?" Draco wondered, stepping out of the bathroom at the sound of the activated floo.

Hermione shrugged. "Couldn't focus," she admitted.

He beckoned her to follow him from the room. "Thinking about me?" he wondered, leading her to the first floor.

"You'd like that," she replied with a laugh.

With a small lift of his shoulders, he replied, "Who wouldn't? Everyone wants to know that someone's thinking about them." Pulling out a stool, he told her to sit, then moved about the kitchen to gather the ingredients necessary for dinner.

"What are you making?" she wondered as he removed a loaf of bread.

Draco grinned. "You told me once that this was your favorite food when you were little," he stated.

"You're making me peanut butter and jelly?" she asked. "I can't believe you remembered."

"You know I do actually listen when you talk," he told her as he spread the peanut butter on two slices of bread. "Even got the chunky kind because you said it was, and I quote, vastly superior to creamy."

Smiling, she accepted the sandwich he had just finished making. He took a seat beside her and started to eat. "Thank you for this," she said. "I know it's just a sandwich, but it means a lot to me."

He gave her shoulder a gentle bump. "You're welcome," he replied. "And you should know that I'm mad that I don't find this disgusting."

Hermione grinned. "I told you that meals don't have to contain rare aquatic life and ten carat gold leaf to taste good," she stated.

"Did Weasley ever cook for you?" he asked.

Hermione snorted. "He wouldn't even make me tea," she replied. "I honestly thought relationships and romance would be exactly like the books I'd read. The guy I had a crush on finally noticed and wanted to be with me, and I thought that was it. We'd get married, buy a house, have kids. I really believed Ron was it."

"I'm sorry," Draco said softly, placing a hand over hers.

She shrugged and continued eating. "What happened with Ron doesn't really matter to me anymore," she stated. "There are...more important things to think about now."

"Yeah, about that," Draco said. "I was hoping we could discuss us tonight. You know, how we go about this whole thing."

"I thought we decided we were keeping it to ourselves," she reminded him, shifting on her stool to face him.

Draco nodded. "Right, but we're still married," he replied. "I don't know. Don't you think we should be doing things that a married couple do?"

Hermione's eyebrows rose skeptically. "Are you suggesting that we should move in together, have kids, _tell_ people?" she asked.

Getting to his feet, he began to clean up. "No, I know you don't want any of that," he said as he began to rinse off their plates. "Would it really be so bad if people knew were together though? They don't have to know how together we are."

Sighing, she dismounted her stool and moved to the sink to stand beside him. "I don't think it would bother me if people knew we were together," she decided. "I like being with you, Draco. How is it you can be so unlike Ron?"

He shut off the water, and turned to face her. "I've always been different than him," he stated. "Weasley and I have nothing in common besides blood status."

Hermione shrugged. "Well, you've got me in common," she pointed out. "And a strong sense of modesty. The two of you are just...so humble."

Draco laughed and flicked water at her. "You're not exactly the personification of the word either," he stated. After turning off the water, he pulled her closer. "I still like you though."

"You've got good taste," she remarked, smiling at him.

"Thanks for confirming my suspicions about your narcissism," he teased.

Chuckling, she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I told you that you'd be a bad influence," she replied.

He leaned in until their lips were millimeters from touching. "Would I be a bad influence if I kissed you?" he wondered.

In response, Hermione rose just enough to close the distance between them. His lips were soft and mildly sticky from the jelly. A small noise of approval came from the back of her throat, causing Draco to laugh. "You taste good," she said defensively before pulling him in for another kiss.

"Well, well. What have we here?" a voice asked behind them.


	6. Chapter 6

Happy Friday! I got some good news today at work, and more good news could follow. Sure, the first bit of good news is that I don't have to work with someone I don't like anymore, but I'll take it. I've finally found the silver lining to my best friend quitting.

* * *

Chapter 6

The pair whirled around to face a bemused Lucius Malfoy. "This seems...unsanitary," he commented.

Draco scowled and shook his head. "And here I thought you'd changed," he said sourly. He took Hermione by the hand. "Let's go. I'll take you home."

Lucius caught his son's arm as he tried to pass. "I meant kissing in the kitchen," he clarified. "Miss Granger's blood status has nothing to do with it. Why don't we all go into the parlor and discuss this latest...development."

Hermione held Draco back as his father left the kitchen. "Do they not know?" she asked.

Looking chagrined, Draco shook his head. "I'm sorry," he replied. "I haven't exactly had an opportunity to do it."

"Should I go?" she wondered.

Draco shook his head before she finished voicing her question. "Absolutely not," he said. "You know me. I'm a coward. I can't tell them by myself."

Sighing impatiently, she gave in and followed Lucius. "If they kill me for this, I will haunt you until the end of your days," she warned.

Entering the parlor, Lucius smiled at his wife who was already seated by the fire. "Look who I found in the kitchen," he announced, gesturing to the young couple.

Narcissa Malfoy's sculpted eyebrows rose curiously. "What was Draco doing in the kitchen?" she wondered.

Lucius sat down beside her and opened his mouth to reply when Draco cut him off. "Mum, you remember Hermione Granger, I'm sure," he said, leading his wife to the sofa across from where his parents sat.

"It's nice to see you again, Miss Granger," Narcissa said. "What brought you to our...kitchen?"

Draco cleared his throat. "Mother, Father, there's something you need to know," he said, taking Hermione's hand. "We're, um, well I don't think there's any good way to tell you this."

"We got married," Hermione interjected.

Draco nodded. "And now we've decided to date," he added. Hermione shot him a questioning look, but Draco shook his head.

The older man's brows knit together while his wife's mouth hung open in shock. "You...got...married?" he asked.

"We did," Draco confirmed.

"And now you're dating?" Narcissa inquired.

"We were drunk and we weren't thinking and we did it," Hermione said anxiously. "We didn't mean to. At least, I don't think we did. Things are a bit hazy still."

Draco gave her hand a squeeze; a silent request to calm down. "The point is, we're together and nothing is going to change that," he said, levelling his parents with a look that dared them to argue.

Narcissa attempted to smile. "Well, I think it's wonderful," she stated. "As long as the two of you are happy, that is."

The young couple exchanged a questioning look. "I'm happy," Draco said. "You?"

Hermione nodded and smiled at him. "Surprisingly, yes," she replied.

Lucius cleared his throat. "Who else knows about this?" he inquired.

"Only Harry and Ginny," Hermione said. "I don't think they told anyone else."

The older man breathed a sigh of relief. He continued to ask questions. Had they seen a lawyer? Yes. Did they plan to annul? They couldn't. Had they looked for loopholes in the marriage laws? No.

With a concerned look, Hermione turned to Draco. "Are there loopholes?" she asked.

He shrugged. "It's something we could look into," he replied. "If that's what you really want."

Hermione nodded noncommittally and turned her gaze away from him. "Um, I hate to do this, but I should really be getting home," she said apologetically.

Getting to his feet, Draco helped her up. "I'll escort you home," he offered. Hermione nodded and bade the Malfoys a good night. Silently, they left the parlor and took the stairs to his room. Standing in front of the fireplace, he noticed the apprehensive look on her face. "What's wrong? Do you not want me to go with you?"

Hermione shook her head. "No, I mean I do," she replied. "I just...I don't know if it's a good idea."

He stepped closer and caressed her cheek. "I'm not going to make you do anything you don't want to do," he assured her.

"I know," she replied with a smile.

"Then what's wrong?" he wondered, frowning.

Hermione sighed and stepped away from his touch. "I don't know," she admitted. "I'm not supposed to feel this way about you. I'm supposed to hate you for being a pompous git, and you're supposed to hate me because I'm a know-it-all muggleborn. Why don't you hate me?"

Chuckling, he moved to sit at the foot of his bed, leaving Hermione to stand near the fireplace. "I'm tired of hating people," he told her. "Do you have any idea how exhausting it is to hate someone?"

She couldn't help the smirk that settled on her lips. "Sure, I hated you for seven years," she replied.

Draco nodded. "Yeah, well, I was only one person," he continued. "When I accepted my job I knew you would be there everyday. There was no escaping that. So, I figured I could continue the animosity or put it aside. That first night that we went out, I remember being really happy. Before that, I couldn't remember the last time I'd been happy. Talking to _you_ made me happy."

"Or it was the booze," she pointed out.

He shook his head solemnly. "No, it was you," he told her, staring down at the carpet beneath his feet. "And I tried to convince myself that it was a fluke. Most anyone could be tolerable once in awhile. So, I left you that note asking to come out with me the next week." He chuckled before continued. "Do you have any idea how much I wanted you to annoy me? And then you didn't."

"Sorry," she replied with a self-deprecating laugh.

Looking up, he smiled at her. "Sometimes you make it really hard to hate you," he said.

Sighing, she moved toward him and stopped to stand between his legs. Placing her hands on his cheeks, she raised his head to look up at her. "I'm glad you left me that note," she told him. "And I'm glad I talked myself out of turning you down. I always really looked forward to our Friday nights."

His arms wound around her waist. "We can still do that," he said. "Nothing has to change between us just because we're married."

Hermione nodded. "But maybe some things can?" she asked.

Draco grinned. "Like what?" he wondered. "If you could change anything, what would it be?"

She considered his question for a moment. "Well, kissing you is kind of nice," she replied, demonstrating her new favorite activity. "And I like the idea of you cooking. Perhaps that's something we could do again?"

"I made a sandwich," he pointed out. "That's not exactly cooking."

Hermione shrugged. "It's the thought that counts," she replied. "If you're dying to prove yourself though, I might be inclined to let you cook me breakfast."

Getting to his feet, he asked, "Are you asking me to spend the night?"

She shrugged. "We'll see," she replied. "Why don't you escort me home now."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Draco stumbled out of the fireplace as Hermione kissed him and giggled. "You're going to be the death of me," he joked, kissing her again. "I think it would be a good way to die."

With a wave of her wand, the lights came on and Draco could see the frown she wore. "You're not allowed to die," she stated. "I'm forbidding it."

They heard a mirthless laugh and turned toward the sound of it. "She says that to everyone," Ron informed him. "Don't think you're special, ferret."

Hermione stood in front of Draco as his face reddened with anger. "I only say it to people I care about," she stated. "I'm sure it'll make him feel better to know I've never said it to you. What are you doing here?"

Ron shrugged and rested his feet on the coffee table despite the scowl Hermione wore. "Well, I was at dinner last night, you know our usual Sunday night family gathering, and Ginny let it slip that you got married. I thought Mum was going to have a heart attack," he explained. "Thought I should come to you to find out if that was true. Guess it is."

"Ron, I need to know that you'll keep this a secret," she implored, stepping closer to him. "You know what it's like when the reporters find out anything about us. Draco and I would really rather this stay private."

Getting to his feet, Ron smirked. "Can't imagine why you wouldn't want people to know, Hermione," he replied facetiously. "I mean, you married a Death Eater who spent seven years torturing you, who stood aside while someone else tortured you. I wouldn't want that getting out either."

"Why do you care what she does?" Draco wondered, deciding he had held his tongue long enough. "She's not with you anymore. You saw to that by shagging my fiancee."

Ron glared angrily at him. "Stay out of this, Malfoy," he sneered. He turned his attention back to Hermione. "Merlin, think about how your parents would feel. Death Eaters killed them. How do you know he wasn't one of them?"

Pursing her lips, Hermione crossed her arms over her chest. "I want you to leave now, Ronald," she stated evenly. "I don't want you to come back here uninvited ever again."

With a huff, Ron stepped into the fireplace and left. Hermione sat down and stared at Draco. "I didn't know," he told her, feeling guilty. "I swear, Hermione, I had no idea they were even dead."

She nodded. "It's not exactly something I talk about," she said bitterly. "_Ever_."

He sat down beside her, but made no move to touch her. "I'm sorry," he murmured. "You know, if you ever decide you to want to talk-"

"We, um, I knew we were about to start the hunt for the horcruxes," she said. "Before I left for the Burrow as I did every summer, I knew this time was different. I knew I had to do something to protect them, so I erased their memories. It was the only thing I could think of, and I thought they'd be safe. When the war was over, I thought I'd just find them and reverse the spell. I went home to pack a few things, and found them on the living room floor. There was...blood everywhere, dried blood. They'd been tortured before the Death Eaters Avada'd them."

"Do you have any idea who did it?" Draco wondered.

Hermione nodded angrily. "There were Y's carved into their arms," she told him. "It was Yaxley."

Yaxley, one of the more prominent wizards in the Dark Lord's service, was known to mark his victims with a Y. The branding had led to his arrest and subsequent conviction for multiple counts of murder. With the Dementors expelled from Azkaban, the more dangerous and notorious criminals had been sentenced to death. Yaxley had been the first to be executed.

"I testified against him," Hermione continued. "I was there when he died. Then I spent the next two years trying to move on. Ron saying what he did just now dredged it all up again. I'm sorry I dumped all of that on you."

He put his arm around her shoulders. "Don't be sorry," he told her. "Don't ever be sorry for feeling the way you do. And don't feel like you can't tell me things. I'm here to listen whenever you need me."

Hermione nodded and rested her head against his shoulder. "That goes both ways, you know," she replied.

Smiling, he kissed the top of her head. "Yeah, I know," he whispered. They sat in silence until he asked, "Is it okay that I still kind of hate him?"

Lifting her head, Hermione laughed. "No, I think it's fine," she replied. "We get to hate the people who broke our hearts. Just for a little while."

"And then we forgive them?" he guessed.

She shrugged. "Or we ignore them until they go away," she suggested.

"Merlin, if only," he muttered beneath his breath. She shot him a curious look. "Weasley will always be in your life. You're still friends with Potter, and if the papers are to be believed, he's still dating Weasley's sister. You can't escape him."

Hermione frowned. "Are you telling me that I shouldn't be friends with them anymore?" she asked.

Draco shook his head. "No, of course not," he replied. "I'm not gonna be that guy. They've been a big part of your life for so long. There's no way I would ask that of you."

"Then what?" she wondered.

Sighing, he got to his feet and ran a hand through his hair. "I don't know, Hermione," he said exasperatedly. "Maybe all I'm saying is there's no way to avoid him. Maybe your only choices are to forgive Ron or cut ties with his family completely."

"I don't know if I can do either of those," she admitted. "The Weasleys are the only family I have left. I can't lose them too."

"I don't know that there's really a third option," he replied. "I'm sure it doesn't help, but for what it's worth I'm your family too."

Getting to her feet, she wrapped her arms around his waist. "It does help," she told him. "Um, I know it's still a bit early, but I'm tired. Do you still want to stay tonight?"

He nodded, wrapped an arm around her shoulder, and led her from the living room. "Which way is your room?" he asked.


	8. Chapter 8

Happy Friday! It's Mother's Day this Sunday, so to any moms reading I hope you have a great day!

* * *

Chapter 8

If Hermione didn't ask, Draco didn't stay over. He always left work hours before she did. She threw herself into work, ignoring anyone who wasn't there on official business. And that included Draco. After three days apart, Hermione had gone to the manor to see him. "Hey," she greeted him when she stepped out of his fireplace. Draco closed his book and looked up at her. "So, my emotional baggage - has it sent you running yet?"

Furrowing his brow, he tossed the book aside and got off his bed. "No," he replied. "You just seemed like you needed a little space, so I thought I should let you have that."

Nodding, she moved closer. "I think I might have needed it," she admitted. "Seeing Ron brought up more memories than I thought it would. Memories that I'm still unable to handle. It's no excuse though."

He placed his hands on her shoulders and frowned. "Sure it is," he said. "After all you've been through, all you do, sometimes you just need a break. And if you need a break from me, then take it."

She shot him a dubious look. "I don't understand," she replied.

"I wouldn't expect you to understand breaks," he teased, earning a frown from her. "All I'm saying is you don't have to explain it to me when you don't feel like talking to me. You don't owe me anything."

Hermione nodded and stepped back. "Okay. Good to know," she replied, hurt by his words. "So, I'll just go then. See you tomorrow."

She reached for the pot of floo powder, but Draco grabbed her arm. "That's not what I meant," he told her. "I just...I was afraid that you might feel obligated to me because of this marriage, and I don't want you to. You had a life and a way of doing things before this, and I don't want you to feel that you have to change because of me."

The corner of her mouth quirked up. "Really?" she asked.

Draco shrugged. "Of course," he replied. "Why would you think I would?"

His hold on her arm relaxed and Hermione pulled away to sit at the foot of his bed. "I don't know," she admitted. "Ron used to get upset when I got this way. No, not upset. Angry. Like what I was feeling was a personal affront to him. Sometimes it seemed that what I was feeling didn't matter to him."

He sat down beside her. "Will you tell me if I ever make you feel that way?" he asked.

"Probably not," she replied with a small smile. "When you were the bully, I had no problem standing up to you. When it's a friend, I...I don't know, I can't always muster the courage."

"Please tell me it isn't a fear of losing me as a friend that would prevent you from doing it," he said, frowning.

Hermione shrugged. "I was never popular," she replied. "You know that. My life was books and studying and always having the right answer. People only want to be friends with someone like that when they need help with their work. The fact that Harry and Ron showed any interest in me was completely new. So, I put up with a lot that I probably shouldn't have."

There was the smallest hint of a smile on Draco's lips. "That can't be true," he said. "I've seen you give Weasley his due more times than I can count."

"Only when he deserved it," she conceded. "And then he wouldn't speak to me for two weeks."

Reaching for her hand, he touched her wedding band. "There will be times when we hate each other," he acknowledged. "I'll say something that makes you mad, or you'll let me know just how wrong I am about everything. We'll fight and irritate each other and swear we're never speaking again, but it doesn't mean that I've stopped liking you."

Hermione looked down at their joined hands and frowned. "How much of you likes me only because we accidentally got married?" she wondered.

"I liked you before I proposed," he replied. "Granted, at the time it was only as a friend. Being married to you, I figured we could either make the best of it or the worst. The more I talk to you and the more time we spend together, the more I like you. You're not just the know-it-all with her nose buried in a book, Hermione. Yeah, you're smart, but you knew that. You're also funny and caring, and I really enjoy being with you."

Hermione wore a devious smile as she bumped his shoulder. "You're not so bad either," she declared.

"That's it?" he wondered. "All I get is a not bad? Were you just fishing for compliments?"

Hermione shifted so she straddled Draco's lap. "No," she murmured, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "And I think you're more than okay. You're sweet and kind and so different from the way you were in school. I like you now, Draco."

Each compliment had been punctuated with a kiss and Draco smiled against her lips. "You don't regret it then?" he asked.

"I really don't," she replied.

"Good," he murmured before he kissed her once more. "Can I get you anything while you're here or are you planning to go soon?"

Hermione shook her head. "No, I'm okay," she replied. "Actually, right now I'd really just love a long bath. Maybe a glass of wine."

"You could do that here," he suggested.

She smoothed his hair back from his forehead. "Or you could come over to my place," she countered. "I might even be tempted to let you cook for me again."

Draco smirked and tightened his hold on her. "Do I get to partake in that bath?" he inquired.

"I think that could be arranged," she agreed. "Might have to put an expansion charm on the tub though."

She slid off of his lap and helped him to his feet. Draco held her close as a solemn look crossed his face. "I, um, I don't know if you feel the same way, but I don't want to look for a loophole," he confessed. "We work, Hermione, and I want to keep making us work. But if you don't agree, then I'll drop it. We'll start looking into a way out of this."

Holding onto the lapels of his shirt, Hermione pulled him down to kiss him. "I don't want to look either," she told him.

Draco smiled and let her go. "Let me just grab a change of clothes. I'll meet you at your flat," he replied. He watched as she stepped into the floo and disappeared. Turning back to his bed, he opened the top drawer of his nightstand and removed their marriage license. The document that contained so glaring an error that it surprised him that Hermione hadn't noticed. After all, it was one that would have meant the end of their marriage.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"Potter, hi," Draco said, surprised to find Harry Potter waiting at his desk. "Hermione's in a meeting right now."

The Boy Who Lived nodded. "I know," he replied. "I actually was hoping to talk to you."

Worried though he was, Draco got to his feet. "Is the conference room okay, or should I be worried for my safety?" he asked.

Harry chuckled. "No, I promise, no hexing," he said. Draco led him to the nearest empty room and shut the door. He made himself comfortable while watching his former enemy squirm.

"So, what's this about?" Draco wondered as the uncomfortable seconds ticked by.

"Hermione," Harry replied. "I wanted to apologize to her about telling Ginny, who in turn told the rest of her family, but Hermione won't talk to me. I thought maybe I could convince you to pass on the message for me. Just let her know that I'm really sorry."

Draco scowled. "Perhaps if you'd kept your mouth shut, you wouldn't need to beg me to talk my wife into forgiving you," he stated, knowing he now had the upper hand. "Hell, I wouldn't forgive you for this if I were her. She trusted you to keep this a secret."

Though his cheeks reddened, Harry said nothing in retaliation. "You're right," was his only reply. "Look, just tell her I'm sorry and I'm hoping she'll talk to me soon."

Harry got to his feet, ready to leave, when Draco stopped him. "We're going to the Leaky tonight," he shared. "It's our usual Friday night tradition. You weren't exactly part of my plan to commemorate our one week anniversary, but she's usually nice when she's had a few."

"You really think it's a good idea that I crash your date?" Harry asked.

Draco shrugged. "It's a public place, often frequented by wizards young and old," he replied casually. "Who's to say you didn't just happen to bump into us there?"

"Could work," Harry agreed. "Think she'd believe it?"

"She was drunk enough to marry me," Draco replied with a laugh. "I think, with the proper amount of libations, she'd be willing to hear you out."

"Hope you're right," Harry muttered.

000000000

Hermione sat down at the bar beside Draco who was already two drinks in. "Hey," he greeted her, leaning in for a kiss.

"What are you doing?" she demanded, pulling back.

Blond brows furrowed as Draco signalled the bartender. "Kissing my-" he started before she clapped a hand over his mouth.

"Do. Not," she said seriously. Shaking her head, she dismounted the stool and began to walk away.

He placed a few galleons on the bar, not caring that it was more than he owed, and followed her outside. She was seated on a bench across from the pub, and didn't seem to object when Draco sat down beside her. "I'm sorry," he told her. "I forgot we're still a secret."

Sighing, Hermione rested her elbows on her thighs and leaned forward. "Don't be," she said softly. "There, um, there was a meeting this afternoon. My boss and his boss and the Board of Directors have spent the week apparently debating the pros and cons of us working together. Will you get special treatment? How distracted will we be having the other one there? What to do about the publicity we've caused. That sort of thing."

"But I don't report to you," Draco pointed out.

"I know," she agreed. "That's what I told them when I met with them. That we hardly interact at work."

His nails ran a soothing pattern down her back. "So, you didn't deny that we're together?" he asked.

Turning to face him, she smiled briefly. "No, I didn't," she replied. "I told them we're together. I didn't mention any more than that though."

Draco basked in the joy he felt from hearing her confession, but it was short-lived feeling. "I can't imagine they took that well," he said. "I remember my first day, being told that relationships with department colleagues was greatly frowned upon."

Hermione nodded. "They are," she confirmed. "People have been fired for it in the past."

Draco's eyes widened. "Were we...sacked?" he asked, afraid of her answer.

She sat up straight and shook her head. "No, but-"

"Hermione? Fancy seeing you here," Harry greeted her, smiling as he approached the couple. "I just got off work and thought I'd grab a drink before going home. Merlin, this has been a long week, hasn't it?"

She frowned as he sat down beside her. "You're doing that thing again where you talk fast because you're hiding the fact that this isn't some random coincidence that you're here," she stated. "Did Draco tell you where we'd be tonight?"

Behind her, Draco shook his head, but Harry nodded. "Yeah, he did," he admitted. "But you wouldn't talk to me, and I wanted to apologize. But you wouldn't listen to me, so I sort of asked Malfoy for help. It was his idea to meet you here. Why are we out here?"

Draco glared at him. "We were discussing something personal," he stated.

Harry blushed. "Oh, sorry," he mumbled, getting to his feet. "Can we talk though? I'll wait inside for you."

Hermione nodded and waited for him to leave. "Playing mediator now?" she inquired, one eyebrow quirked.

He shrugged. "He begged. It was pathetic," he replied. "Besides, he's your friend. He told his girlfriend, not Rita Skeeter. Maybe it wouldn't be so terrible to forgive him."

With a shrug, she got to her feet, intent on entering the pub. "You might be right."

Getting to his feet, he grabbed her hand to still her. "Wait, what you were saying before we were interrupted," he said. "What's going on?"

Hermione sighed. "You're being transferred," she told him. "I don't know to which department though. They don't even know yet."

Breathing a sigh of relief, Draco nodded. "Well, better than losing my job," he decided.

"So, then you're okay with this?" she asked.

With a shrug, he replied, "Sure, why wouldn't I be? I still have a job, I'll still get to spend time with you. Working in a different office isn't that big a deal."

Smiling, she wrapped her free arm around his neck and kissed him. "Well, that's a load off my mind," she replied.

As they entered the pub, Draco led her to the bar with a smile on his lips. "You realize you just kissed me," he said. "In public."

"So? I like you," she replied as he ordered them drinks. "And I like kissing you. I'm okay with people knowing about that."

"Yeah?" he asked, leaning forward to kiss her once more. "Good to know."

Behind them, Harry cleared his throat. "Don't make me sit between the two of you," he warned.

The couple pulled apart, and Hermione turned to face Harry, who took a seat on her other side. "I'm sorry I stopped talking to you," she told him. "I sort of got...that way again after seeing Ron. I'm okay now though."

"Still friends then?" Harry asked. Nodding, Hermione pressed a kiss to his cheek. Looking past her to Draco, he held out his hand. "What do you say, Malfoy? Think we can be friends too?"

Draco accepted the handshake. "Yeah, Potter, I think we can be."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"Well, we made the front page again," Draco announced as he slipped back into bed beside Hermione. "I blame you for this."

She took the paper from his hands. "I didn't hear you complaining at the time," she pointed out, frowning when she saw the picture.

"Who complains about a beautiful woman snogging him?" he wondered. Hermione grinned and continued to read the paper. "So, listen, my parents want to have dinner tonight."

She nodded and turned the page. "Good for them," she replied. "It's important to eat dinner every night."

Draco rolled his eyes. "With us," he added.

The paper lowered so only her eyes were revealed. "Excuse me?" she asked, eyebrows raising.

Climbing off the bed, he entered the bathroom. "You heard me," he called back to her as he started the shower. "I also told them that we would."

He heard the pages of the newspaper rustle as they were tossed aside, followed by the blankets. Soon, Hermione was standing in the doorway, arms crossed, and a dangerous look in her eyes. "Why would you tell them that?" she inquired.

Draco shrugged. "Because they're my parents, and your in-laws now," he replied as he tested the water temperature. "Besides, they like you. You'll be fine. Now, lose the shirt and get in here with me."

"You're a pig," she said, turning away from the bathroom. "And I'm making breakfast and not sharing with you."

He chuckled as he stepped under the spray. "Vindictive little thing," he muttered. "The woman I love is a vindictive little thing."

000000000000000

Later that evening, they stepped out of the fireplace into Draco's room. "I hate you, you know," she told him as she dusted herself off.

Draco grinned. "Yeah, I know," he replied, pulling her into his arms. "I also know you don't mean it. You're just nervous about seeing them, but you don't have to be. They like you more than they like me."

"Because that's _so_ difficult to achieve," she muttered with a smirk.

Rolling his eyes, he kissed her forehead and took her hand. "Come, we mustn't keep the parents waiting," he said. Groaning, she allowed him to lead her downstairs, and he soon pulled her into the sitting room. "Drinks?" he asked.

Narcissa frowned, but Lucius rose to pour a tumbler of firewhiskey for his son. "Miss Granger, or should I say, Mrs. Malfoy, what do you prefer?" he asked.

"I prefer Granger," she replied.

Chuckling, Lucius shook his head. "I meant to drink," he clarified.

"Oh," she said softly, an embarrassed blush blooming on her cheeks. "White wine, if you have it."

Nodding, he poured her drink as well and handed the glasses to the couple. Draco led her to the sofa and sat down. Hermione had just taken a sip when Lucius spoke. "So, it seems to me that Draco no longer lives here. Have you noticed that too, Narcissa?"

She choked on her wine, cheeks heating and reddening as she coughed. "Father," Draco chastised as he patted her back.

"No, no. It's fine," Hermione said when the coughing subsided.

Lucius raised an eyebrow. "Well, judging from Miss Granger's reaction, it would appear I've hit a sensitive nerve," he commented.

Draco shrugged. "What's it matter?" he wondered. "We're married. Married couples tend to live together. Besides, I don't spend every night away from home."

Narcissa slapped her husband's thigh. "Stop being a tease," she told him. "Tell them why we asked them to dinner."

Nodding, Lucius smiled. "Well, your mother and I have been wracking our brains, trying to decide what to give you as a wedding present," he said. "That is, we're assuming the two of you plan to stay married."

"Yes, we decided that we don't want to look for a loophole," Hermione confirmed.

"Good, good," he murmured. Picking up a small box from the table beside him, Lucius rose and handed it to his son.

Brows furrowed, Draco removed the ribbon that held the box closed and opened the lid to reveal a set of keys. "Are these house keys?" he asked.

Narcissa nodded excitedly. "A little beachside cottage with room for a family, should the two of you decide to start one," she said. "Besides, it might be nice to have a little more space. Draco mentioned you live in a very small flat, Miss Granger."

"It's fine," Draco interjected. "There's plenty of room for the two of us there. We haven't even started discussing children. We've only been married for a month, for Merlin's sake. On top of that, we don't really live together now."

Hermione frowned. "Do you not want to?" she wondered.

Draco turned to her and smiled. "I do," he replied. "I just thought it was something we should discuss privately. Alone. Without my parents as an audience."

"Does that mean you won't be accepting the house?" Lucius inquired.

"Well, it might be nice to see it before committing," Draco commented.

His father smirked. "And here I thought you just jumped into commitment without giving it a second thought," he remarked.

With a shake of his head, Draco got to his feet. "If you plan to ridicule the choices we've made, then we'll be going," he stated, shooting a pointed look at his father.

"No," Narcissa stated. "What your father said was out of line, but that doesn't give you the right to storm out like a petulant child. You were invited to dinner, you accepted the invitation, and you _will_ stay."

Chastised, he sat back down and sulked. "Oh stop," Hermione murmured before returning her attention to Narcissa. "So, would we be able to see the house sometime? You know, before we move."

"It doesn't bother you that my parents bought us a house?" Draco asked incredulously.

Hermione shook her head. "It's a nice gesture," she replied. "At the very least, we could look at it. Does it bother you?"

Sighing, he shook his head. "Let's just talk about it later," he said.

Clearing her throat, Narcissa gestured toward another package on the table beside her husband. "There's something else," she told them. "I thought you might like it hang it up in the house, that is if you accept it. I'm sure it would look just as lovely in Miss Granger's flat."

This time, Hermione reached for the present. She carefully peeled back the edges of the silver wrapping paper to reveal a framed document. Draco peered down and frowned. "Our marriage license?" he asked. "Rifling through my things now?"

"I thought it might be nice to have something to commemorate the occasion since there are no pictures," Narcissa excused.

Sucking her bottom lip between her teeth, Hermione handed the gift to Draco and excused herself. "Is everything alright?" Lucius asked.

Draco shook his head and got to his feet to follow her. He found her in the kitchen, seated at the island. Silently, he approached and sat down next to her. "So," he said cautiously.

"Do you know what my middle name is?" she wondered, staring straight ahead at the stove.

He swallowed past a thick lump in his throat. "Jean," he answered.

Hermione nodded. "Do you know what it says on our license?" she inquired.

"Jane."

"How long have you known?" she asked.

Sighing, he replied, "I found out a few days after we married. The counselor told me your name was wrong."

Hermione sniffled and finally turned to look at him. "You know what that means then."

Draco nodded. "We might not really be married."

Dismounting her stool, she walked past him. "Do me a favor and don't come over tonight."


	11. Chapter 11

So, I'm nominated for a few fanfic awards. If you want to vote for me, go to fanfictionawards2013 dot weebly dot com.

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Chapter 11

"I think it's over," Hermione stated when Harry and Ginny stepped out of her fireplace the next morning.

Harry's brow wrinkled as he sat down beside her. "Please don't mean breakfast," he said.

Ginny slapped the back of his head. "I'm pretty sure she's talking about something else," she replied. "Go on, Hermione. What's over?"

Hermione sighed. "My marriage."

"After a month?" Ginny asked. "Got tired of him already?"

Scowling, Hermione picked up her coffee mug and got to her feet. When she left the room, Harry turned to his girlfriend. "What do you think happened?" he wondered. "They were fine two days ago. I've never seen her happier than when she was with Malfoy."

Ginny shrugged. "Maybe it was all an act," she reasoned. "They never got along before, they did something stupid, and she didn't want to admit it."

But Harry disagreed. "She wouldn't be this upset if it were all an act," he replied. "Maybe I should talk to him. I doubt she'll give us any answers."

"Breakfast is ready," Hermione announced.

After a tense, silent breakfast, Harry left under the pretense of needing to go into work. From the Ministry, he was able to floo to the Malfoy home straight into Draco's room. The room was a mess - books and clothes strewn about, newspapers and photos cut to shreds and set aflame, empty bottles of firewhiskey littered the floor.

"This place is a sty," Harry commented as he nudged Draco awake.

A mess of blond hair was the first thing Harry saw, followed by glaring gray eyes. "What do you want?" Draco demanded, wincing as Harry drew open the curtains.

"To talk to you about Hermione," Harry replied.

Sitting up, Draco sneered at him. "Stop coming to me every time you two have a problem," he said.

Shaking his head, Harry sat down in an armchair near the bed. "We're not the ones with the problem," he stated. "It's the two of you. Want to explain to me why, when I went to her flat for breakfast this morning, she told me that her marriage is over?"

Draco groaned as he rubbed his hungover eyes. "Merlin, I thought this was just a fight," he muttered. "She wants out?"

Perplexed, Harry again asked, "What happened?"

Sighing, Draco told him about the events of the previous evening. "I lied to her," he said when he finished. "I lied because I wanted to be with her and she didn't. Her name being wrong on the license was the loophole she needed to get out of this, and I hid it from her."

"How did she not notice that her own name was spelled incorrectly?" Harry wondered.

Draco shrugged. "As far as I know, she only saw it that morning when we woke up in the motel," he replied. "I think she was too shocked to spell check it. I didn't expect my mother to frame it."

"So just get it changed," Harry suggested. "It's an easy fix."

Draco shook his head. "No, you said she wants it to be over," he said. "If that's what she wants, I'll give it to her."

Harry got to his feet and began to pick up the dirty clothes. "That's not what she wants," he told Draco. "Yeah, she's upset that you lied to her. After what happened with Ron, can you blame her? I've never seen her as happy as she's been with you. Hermione is my best friend. I like seeing her happy."

"I doubt I make her happy anymore," Draco mumbled. "Look, just leave the mess alone. I'll take care of it later. Right now, I'd really just like to be left alone."

Nodding, Harry moved to the fireplace. "Just don't wait too long to talk to her," he advised. "I really don't think she wants it to be over."

Alone once more, Draco laid back down and pulled a pillow over his face. He wanted to believe Harry, but couldn't bring himself to do it. Four weeks ago the mistake would have been just that and they could have fixed it. But he had hidden it from her because he feared it would be her chance to leave him. The counselor had said it was enough to dissolve the union. The name on the certificate technically wasn't hers.

Throwing back the blankets, he eased himself out of bed and dressed for the day. It didn't occur to him that his clothes were mismatched or wrinkled or from the day before. He had to talk to Hermione. He needed to convince her that he wanted her.

And so, he stepped into his fireplace and arrived at Hermione's flat. It came as no surprise that the place was tidy. There was no evidence that she had thrown a fit like he had. Everything was in its place, including her coffee mug placed on a coaster on the coffee table. Alone in the living room, he walked over to it and touched the mug. It was still warm.

"What are you doing here?"

He turned around to face her. "Hi," he greeted her.

"That doesn't answer my question," she replied.

Draco nodded. "I wanted to talk," he told her. "I wanted to apologize."

Scoffing, Hermione passed him, picked up her mug, and walked to the kitchen. "Why should I believe it?" she wondered, refilling her mug with one hand while the other towel-dried her hair. "You're a liar. You've proven that already. Why would I believe that you're sorry?"

"Because, aside from this, when have I ever lied to you?" he asked.

He stood on the other side of the kitchen, staring at her, demanding an answer. "That's not the point," she said as she tried to think of an example. "This wasn't like you telling me a dress doesn't make me look fat or that my cooking is delicious. You let me think that I was stuck in a marriage that I didn't want to be in. That there was no way out. You knew our license was wrong, and you kept that from me. And it hurts, Draco. Because once again it feels like the person I love has duped me."

Crossing the room, he took the towel and mug from her hands and set them aside. Holding her hands in his, he looked her in the eye. "I really am sorry," he told her. "I don't know how to make it up to you. I wish I did, but I don't. I hate myself for hurting you. Let me figure out how to make things better between us. Give me a chance to prove to you that I love you."

Hermione, glancing down at their joined hands, nodded. "I just...I think I need a little time," she told him. "A little break."

"Okay," he murmured, pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Let's take a break."


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

"How long a break?" Harry wondered on Monday morning during their coffee break.

Draco shrugged. When word got out that he and Hermione were together, Draco had been transferred to the Auror department under Harry's supervision. An easy friendship had formed between the pair in the weeks since they began working together. "No clue," he replied. "The last time we took a break it lasted three days, and that one had nothing to do with me. This time...who knows how long it could last."

Harry frowned. Hermione was excellent at holding a grudge, but she had always been quick to forgive a friend. It didn't bother him that Draco seemed to have replaced him as her best friend. She had been happy with him, and that was all that mattered.

"Maybe you should do something," Harry suggested. "Some kind of grand gesture. Show her how you really feel about her."

"Like what?" Draco wondered.

Harry shrugged. "I don't know," he replied with a chuckle. "That part is up to you."

"Can I leave early to plan it?" Draco asked.

Smiling, Harry shook his head. "No, but take an extra half hour for lunch," he said as he walked to his office.

Draco grinned as Harry disappeared behind his door. A friendship of sorts had formed between the two men since Draco and Hermione had married. It was a friendship, that as an eleven year old, Draco had yearned for. They'd built a good rapport since deciding to put the past where it belonged.

Now if only he could repair his friendship with Hermione as easily. Harry had suggested a grand gesture, but nothing seemed good enough. Nothing he thought of would make her happy. The idea of shouting his love for her from the rooftops surely would only earn him an Avada Kedavra. He needed something special, but private.

Getting to his feet, Draco approached Harry's office and knocked on the door. "Does she still like cats?" he asked.

0000000000000

Hermione was yet again working late when Draco floo'd to her flat. He cuddled the little orange tabby kitten close to his chest. He looked around the living room, trying to decide where best to leave the kitten. The decision would have to wait though as Hermione returned home soon after he arrived.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, looking more tired than she sounded.

"I, um, I adopted this little guy," he told her. "At least, I think it's a boy. They told me it's a boy, so that's what I'm going on. Oh, and I got some supplies - food, bowls, a bed, litter pan. That sort of thing."

She nodded, arms crossed over her chest. "And, what, you thought you'd show him to me?" she wondered.

Draco frowned. "No, I got him for you," he replied. "I thought you might like him. You had a cat in school, I remember, but Harry said you haven't had one since. If you don't want him though, I'll keep him. It would drive my mother crazy."

She eyed the kitten who clung nervously to Draco's black shirt. "Why would you do this?" she asked, resisting the urge to pet it.

With a shrug, Draco replied, "I know you sometimes get into these moods and you don't want anyone around. I don't know, I just didn't want you to be alone."

Biting her lower lip, she finally uncrossed her arms. "Thank you," she murmured.

Gently prying the cat's nails from his shirt, he held it out to her. "My plan was to just leave him for you to find," he admitted as she took the kitten from him. "I thought for sure you'd hex me if you saw me."

Hermione smiled as the little cat mewled. "Well, I wouldn't want to hurt an animal," she replied.

"Are you talking about me or the cat?" he asked.

"Both," she teased. "Thank you for this, really."

Draco nodded. "Um, I'll be going, I guess," he said decisively.

"Wait," she said as he approached the fireplace. "He needs a name."

Attempting and failing to hide a smile, he turned back to her. "Have anything in mind?" he asked. Hermione shook her head. "What was your last cat's name?"

"Crookshanks," she told him.

Draco frowned. "That's pretty original," he mumbled. "Can't top that one. What kind of names do muggle children give their pets? Fido, right?"

Hermione laughed. "That's a dog's name," she told him.

Blushing, he stepped closed and petted the cat's head. "What about that book you like?" he asked. "The one with the hobbits and elves and wizards."

She was astonished that he had remembered. It had come up only once during a conversation in which she claimed that movies were ruining all of her favorite literary works. "Samwise," she murmured. "You really remembered that he was my favorite character?"

"Of course I do," he replied softly. "So, is Samwise going to be this little kitten's name?"

The cat let out a soft meow as he stared at Hermione with wide, blue eyes. "I think he likes it," she declared with a laugh. A serious look claimed her features as she sat down on the sofa. "You didn't have to do this though."

He remained on the other side of the coffee table, hands stuffed in his pants' pockets. "I know," he replied. "Look, Hermione, I know I screwed up, and I know getting you a cat doesn't fix anything. I just...I don't know, I guess I wanted you to know that I still care about you."

"I know you do," she said. "I haven't doubted that."

"Do you...do you still care about me too?" he wondered.

Looking down at the cat, she nodded. "I couldn't sleep last night," she admitted. "That's not an exaggeration either. I fell asleep in my office this afternoon, I was so tired. Half the night, my mind was racing, wondering why you had lied to me. Then I started to wish you were here. I got out of bed at least five times to ask you to come over, but I chickened out. I just...I missed you."

"You could have called," he said softly, moving to sit beside her. "You know I would have come over."

"I know," she replied. "But I didn't want you to. I wanted to be mad at you. I wanted to believe that you tricked me into staying married. And then I started thinking about you and us and how much I liked being with you. It's just this jumble of thoughts and feelings that I can't seem to reconcile."

He tucked a loose curl behind her ear. "You know I'm here for you," he said. "And if it takes you the next two months to come around, then okay. I love you, Hermione, and I just want you to be happy. If not being with me if what you decide makes you happy, then I'll have to be okay with that."

Nodding, she reached for his hand. "Will you stay with me tonight?" she asked. "And then we can just try to take this one day at a time?"

"Yeah, we can do that."


	13. Chapter 13

I'm posting a bit earlier today because we have early dismissal and I never remember to post when I'm home.

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Chapter 13

Ginny sat in front of Hermione's desk, watching her work, and waiting for some answers. Her patience nearly gone, she cleared her throat. "Will you please tell me what's going on with Malfoy now?" she insisted.

Hermione shrugged as she took her time setting down her quill and sorting the papers on her desk. "Nothing," she told her friend. "We're just talking, spending some time together."

"Shagging?" Ginny inquired with a wicked grin on her face; one that reminded Hermione of the Weasley twins.

Rolling her eyes, she shook her head. "No, we're not shagging," she replied, putting an end to Ginny's joy. "We just...I don't know. Do you think I overreacted? Sometimes it feels like I did, and I have to keep reminding myself that Draco isn't Ron. I love him, Gin. Maybe more than I ever loved Ron."

Ginny frowned. "You really love him?" she asked. A sad smile crossed Hermione's lips as she nodded. "Was it...was it just because you thought you were stuck with him for the rest of your life?"

Hermione shook her head. "No, he was good to me and listened," she explained. "Something about being with him felt right. He's shown up every night, you know. I told him I was having trouble sleeping, and after that, he was there every night."

"I thought the two of you were taking a break," Ginny pointed out.

Getting to her feet, Hermione crossed her office to the bookshelf and studied the spines. "We are," she confirmed. "That doesn't mean we're not working on our relationship though."

Sitting back in her seat, Ginny pondered Hermione's situation. "Why didn't he just have your name changed?" she wondered. "He could have avoided this whole issue."

Hermione pulled a book from the shelf and returned to her desk. "How would that be better?" she inquired. "If he did that without telling me, it would still be a lie."

There was a knock on the door before a blond head poked in. "Hey," Draco greeted them. "Oh, hi, Ginny. I, uh, didn't know you were here. Hermione, are you ready to go to lunch?"

She nodded and promised to be ready in a few minutes. Ginny got to her feet, ready to leave. "Good luck," she whispered, before opening the door.

Draco came in and closed the door behind him. "You look tired," he commented, rounding the desk to rub her tense shoulders.

Eyes closing, Hermione let her head fall forward. Truthfully, she had gotten little sleep the night before. While Draco slept beside her, Hermione watched him, picturing the life they could have together. It was a life she wanted; one that included a full-time husband. Then the worry returned. Would he keep things from her in the future? Could she trust him again?

"Work has been busy today," she said instead of sharing her fears.

"We could skip lunch," he suggested. "Just grab dinner tonight."

Lifting her head, she turned to face him. "No, I'm starving," she replied, putting a smile on her face. "Could you just grab my coat from the closet?"

Letting go of her shoulders, he moved to the closet and opened the door to retrieve her coat. There was a flat box in the pocket, and curiosity had gotten the better of him. It was the first time he had seen a pregnancy test, and wondered if she was now keeping secrets from him. She began to approach, and he quickly shoved the box back in the pocket.

"Here you go," he murmured, slipping it on her shoulders. "So, I was thinking I could make you lunch. Want to go back to your flat?"

Hermione nodded and allowed him to take her hand. They walked silently to the lifts, which took them to the Atrium. Together, they stepped into the floo and entered her living room. Letting go of her hand, he went to the kitchen to begin making lunch. With Draco distracted, Hermione pulled the box from her pocket and went to the bathroom.

Minutes later, she returned and was handed a plate. "You made my favorite," she said with a smile.

Sitting down on the sofa, Draco ate quickly, but the food settled like a stone in his stomach. "I feel like I should be completely honest with you right now because after all we've been through I know how important that is to you," he said, his words coming fast. "I found that box in your pocket, and it sort of scares the hell out of me."

Hermione froze. "I...I wasn't trying to hide it from you," she replied.

Draco's eyebrows rose skeptically. "You just weren't planning on telling me that you might be pregnant," he stated.

Setting aside her food, she turned to him and took his hand. "I needed to be sure first," she explained. "I didn't want to worry you over something that might not even be real."

"If it is real, if you are pregnant, would you tell me?" he asked.

Hermione nodded. "I would," she confirmed. "I don't know yet if I am. Honestly, I'm scared to check the test. But if I am, I want you to know that I don't expect anything from you."

Shaking off her hand, he got to his feet. "I'm your husband," he said. "For better or worse, right? Why would you expect nothing of me? It's my child too, Hermione."

"No, I know that," she replied, feeling flustered. "I just wasn't sure where we stand, or how you feel about me after everything I've put you through. And I'm sorry, Draco. I'm sorry I got so upset about the license. I'm sorry I pushed you away when all you wanted to do was to try to make things better."

He ran a hand through his hair as he leaned against the mantel. "Okay, so we both have things to be sorry for," he said. "But I want to be a part of this baby's life. You could decide to divorce me tomorrow, but I still want as much involvement as I can have."

Getting to her feet, Hermione crossed the room and wrapped her arms around his waist. "I don't want a divorce," she confessed. "I want to wake up next to you every morning. I want to know that when I have a nightmare, it's your arms wrapped around me to calm me down. I want to be able to say 'I love you' to you whenever I want. Mostly, though, I want you to know how much I mean it when I say that I do love you, Draco Malfoy."

Placing his hands on her cheeks, he drew her lips to meet his own. "I love you too," he murmured against them.

"Should we go find out if we're going to be parents?" she asked.

"Sure, let's go," he replied, taking her hand.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

"I think we should look at that house," Hermione decided as they laid in bed together that night. "We'll definitely need to move."

Draco nodded. "Might be wise," he agreed. "I swear, it's like she saw this coming. My mother is a witch."

Hermione couldn't help the giggle that escaped. "Imagine that," she replied. "Unless she was brilliant at Divination, I don't think she predicted it. I think she was thinking more along the lines of two, young, hormonal people who got drunk and didn't use protection. It probably didn't help that we did it sober as well."

His hand caressed her stomach. "Do you regret it?" he wondered.

Glancing up at him, she smiled. "No," she replied. "Do you?"

"I'm scared," he admitted. "All I can think about is how I'm going to be exactly like my father. Sure, he's nice now and he likes you, but he was cold and distant towards me as a child. I don't think he ever hugged me or told me how proud of me he was. He tried to teach me how to ride a broom when I was little. The first time I got on, I fell off seconds later. He decided it wasn't worth his time and walked away."

Hermione stroked his cheek. "You've learned what not to do with your own children," she said softly. "I have faith in you, Draco. You'll be a wonderful, loving father."

"Thank you," he whispered, kissing her. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

Draco cleared his throat. "Did you, um, forgive me only because you thought you were pregnant?" he asked.

Sitting up, she shook her head. "No," she promised. "No, the thought of having a baby wasn't the reason. I didn't want to be apart anymore. After everything we've been through, I never expected to miss you, but I did. All I want is to be with you. Forever, Draco."

Nodding, he sighed and waited for her to lie down once more. "Something my mother said that night at the Manor got me thinking," he said. "Something about wedding pictures. I think we should take those."

"Can you do that a month _after_ getting married?" she wondered.

"Actually, I was thinking something more along the lines of having a wedding," he replied. "A real one. One we'll both remember."

"I like it," she decided. "The only thing is I'd like to wait."

Draco frowned. "Wait for what?" he wondered.

Realizing his concern, the fear that she might want to take a break again, she assured him that wasn't the case. "I just think we should wait until after the baby is born," she explained. "A wedding takes time to plan, and I don't want to waddle down the aisle. It should be a perfect day, and I don't know how perfect I'll feel when I weigh the same as Hagrid."

"We could do it on our anniversary," he suggested.

Hermione grinned. "Your mother has already started planning this, hasn't she?" she asked.

With a slight shrug, he replied, "Maybe."

She could picture of Narcissa Malfoy wedding. It would be an over the top affair with expensive decorations, a forty piece orchestra, rare foods from around the world, and a dress she wouldn't be able to move in. "Is it okay that I'm a little scared of what she could plan?" she asked.

"You should probably be _more_ than a little scared," he cautioned. "My mother is a party planning nightmare. She terrifies the help, accepts no one else's opinion. You might as well resign yourself to sitting in the back of a dark closet eating your hair now. That's your future."

Slapping his chest, she declared him disgusting. "She's not really like that, is she?"

"You married her only son. You're the closest thing she has to a daughter now," he replied. "She could very well make this a ridiculous, elaborate spectacle."

Samwise jumped onto the bed with a soft meow and curled up on Draco's chest. Hermione scratched his head and smiled. "Maybe we could train him to be the ringbearer," she said. "No one would expect that."

"You know, the day I adopted him, Harry and I were talking about grand, romantic gestures, and this was all I could come up with," he confessed. "Now, with a baby coming, I don't know that we can keep him."

Her hand slid down to stroke the kitten's back. "Sure we can," she said, feeling protective of her pet. "We can just keep him out of the nursery. I'm sure plenty of people have had pets and babies at the same time. We'll make it work. Besides, I want to keep him."

"Yeah, I do too," Draco admitted. "But you know if he becomes a problem, we'll have to give him away."

She nodded solemnly. "Maybe to Harry?" she asked. "At least that way we'll be able to see him still."

He noticed the way her eyes watered and frowned. "We're getting ahead of ourselves. We don't have to give up Sam," he assured her. "He's a good cat. I think we'll be okay. There's nothing for you to worry about, not now. Don't get yourself worked up over this."

"No, you're right," she agreed. "Sorry, I think it's just hormones. God, nine months of this. Do you think you'll still be able to love me when I'm huge and crazy and you've suffered through three quarters of a year of it?"

"I can't think of anything you could do that would make me stop loving you," he told her.

Hermione thought it over for a moment. "What if I had pushed you down the stairs that day?" she wondered. Draco shook his head. "What if, for the next fifty years, I only serve you breakfast cereal for all three meals?"

He laughed. "It would be an improvement on your cooking," he retorted.

"Says the man who only knows how to make one sandwich," she shot back.

"No more fighting," he declared. "And stop thinking of ways to torture me."

Nodding, she rested her head on his shoulder. "Fine."

They laid together in silence, falling asleep in each other's arms. "It would have been that bran cereal that you think is so good for me, wouldn't it?" he asked.

Hermione chuckled. "Probably," she admitted. "Either that or the shredded wheat that you hate."

"You're evil," he replied. "And yet, I still love you."

She pressed a kiss to his bare shoulder. "Forever?" she asked.

"Forever and ever," he replied. "Think you'll love me forever?"

Closing her eyes, Hermione began to fall asleep. "Yes, Draco, I will."


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

_The Daily Prophet_ arrived as Draco cooked breakfast and Hermione slept. The front page story came as no surprise. Harry had shown him the ring days before and swore him to secrecy. Draco had made sure to point out that he and Hermione had only just reconciled weeks earlier after he had kept a secret from her, but Harry promised that he would handle her this time.

The mail owl arrived shortly after, and with it came an invitation to Harry and Ginny's engagement party. Placing the envelope and newspaper on the tray beside their breakfast, Draco returned to the bedroom to find Hermione awake. "I have pancakes and the mail," he announced, settling the tray on the bed before joining her.

Hermione grabbed the paper, ignoring the food. "Did you know about this?" she asked, holding up the paper to show him the engagement photo.

Sheepishly, Draco nodded. "He begged me to keep it a secret though," he replied. "I wanted to tell you. Really, I did. But Potter gets this look. This look that says 'I saved your life and the lives of everyone in our world. The least you could do is keep this a secret.'"

Giggling, she shook her head. "I've seen that look. I know it well," she told him. "And I'm not mad. I'm a bit miffed that he used to tell me his secrets and now he's moved on to you, but I'm not mad that you kept this from me."

She began to read the article when Draco held up the invitation. "Did you see this?" he asked.

Frowning, she glanced at it before returning her attention to the paper. "Saw it. Not going," she replied.

"But it's Harry and Ginny," Draco said.

"Right, and Ron is Ginny's brother. He's Harry's best friend. He'll be there," she explained, putting down the newspaper. "I just don't want to see him. Besides, if Ron's there, Astoria will most likely be there as well. Do you really want to see her?"

Draco shrugged. "I don't know," he replied. "We're happy, married, and we're having a baby. Part of me would like to rub that in their faces. Come on, don't you think it would be fun to show them what they missed out on by cheating on us?"

"No," she said pointedly. When he frowned, she continued. "No, I don't want to make Ron or Astoria jealous. Honestly, I'd rather be the bigger person and just move on."

"Why must you always be the rational adult?" he whined, leaning back against the pillows. "Just once can't we be immature? Can't we do something stupid, or at least act a little stupid? It won't kill you, Granger. I swear."

Throwing back the blankets, Hermione climbed out of bed. "It's Harry and Ginny's night," she stated angrily. "We won't ruin it for them. If you want to go and make an arse of yourself, then go. I refuse to be a part of that though. And stop calling me Granger."

With that, she marched into the bathroom and slammed the door shut behind her. Sighing, he left the comfort and safety of their bed and crossed the room. "Hermione, will you let me in?" he asked, knocking softly on the bathroom door. Seconds later, the door opened. "I'm sorry, okay? Sometimes I say things without thinking. I didn't mean to upset you."

Arms crossed, she listened to his apology. "I know you didn't," she replied when he finished.

"And you also know that I consider Harry to be a very good friend, right?" he asked, receiving a nod in reply. "I promise I would never let my animosity towards our exes ruin that friendship. Nor would I want it to ruin our relationship."

Her arms dropped to her sides. "I know that too," she said, stepping closer to him. "I think maybe the idea of seeing Ron scares me a bit. The last couple of times we talked didn't go so well. Things are finally starting to go well with you and me. I'm afraid of backsliding."

Draco wound his arms around her waist. "I'll help you," he assured her. "I won't let him near you. He can't hurt you, Hermione. I'm not going to let him."

Hermione grinned. "You're really good to me," she told him. "You'd really spend the whole evening shielding me from Ron?"

"It's crazy, isn't it?" he asked. "The things you'll do for the people you love."

"You must be out of your mind in love with me then to offer this," she replied. Leaning up on the tips of her toes, she pressed a gentle kiss to his lips.

He tried to deepen the connection, but she pulled away. "Well, I do expect something in return," he stated. "Some kind, romantic gesture to show how much you love me. Honestly, it feels a bit wrong to have to tell you that you should do that. You should really just devote the rest of your life to praising me."

"What? Like palm fronds and peeled grapes?" she wondered.

Cocking his head to the side, he gave the idea some consideration. "It's a start," he replied. "But you're smart. I'm sure you'll come up with something else."

With a roll of her eyes, Hermione pretended to sniff him. "You kind of stink," she informed him. "Perhaps a shower might be in order? And, oh look, ours is just big enough for two. Would you like to join me?"

His eyes narrowed with a devilish look. "Are you trying to seduce me, Mrs. Malfoy?" he inquired.

Hermione wrinkled her nose. "It sounds like you're asking that of your mother," she replied.

Letting his arms drop to his sides, he stepped back. "Consider the mood ruined," he remarked. "I'm going to clean up the mess I made in the kitchen."

He turned then to leave the room, but Hermione stopped him. "So, um, you know how I'm pregnant?" she asked nervously. Draco couldn't help but chuckle as he nodded his head. "Right, of course you do. Well, the thing is I scheduled an appointment with a mediwitch, you know, just to check things out, make sure the baby is healthy. Things like that. Do you think...I mean, will you come with me? I'm sure it'll be boring for you and it's not like we'll find out much. It's still too early. I just don't really want to go alone."

"I wouldn't miss it," he vowed.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

"It was incredible," Draco told Harry while Hermione and Ginny were in the ladies' room. "Sure, she's only five weeks along and there wasn't much to see in the sonogram, but it was still amazing. It's crazy that we did that. We made a baby."

Despite the grin he wore, Harry cringed. "I'm really happy for the two of you, and I understand that you're excited about this," he said, "but she's like a sister to me. I don't want to think about the two of you shagging."

Blushing, he nodded. "Sorry," he mumbled.

The grin on his friend's face widened as the women rejoined them. "No worries, mate," he assured Draco. "I'm just glad that the two of you are happy."

"Merlin, you told him?" Hermione asked. "We were supposed to be keeping it a secret. It's bad luck to tell so early."

"You told me," Ginny said, outing her friend.

Draco turned an amused smile on his wife. "She wouldn't leave me alone about why I was green or throwing up or refusing to drink," Hermione stated defensively. "She wore me down. I'm weak and she's annoying."

Chuckling, he wrapped his arms around her as Ginny protested the insult. "Okay, we tell no one else until it's time," he declared. "That goes for the two of you as well. We don't need reporters banging down our door for an exclusive interview."

Harry nodded in agreement. "Sure, I understand that lifestyle," he replied. "The jeweler who sold me Ginny's ring leaked our engagement to the press. That little photo op was not planned."

"I would have dressed better had it been planned," Ginny added, twisting a ginger curl around her finger. "Uh oh, Mum alert. Hermione, try not to look pregnant."

Draco's brows furrowed at the ridiculous comment, but he said nothing as Molly Weasley greeted them. It was the first interaction between the Weasley matriarch and himself, and something about the stout witch made him nervous. Perhaps it was the glint in her eyes that told him she didn't trust him, despite the smile she wore.

"Draco, nice to see you," she greeted him, trying her best to sound as jovial as she had when greeting the others.

He flashed a warm smile and bowed his head. "It's a pleasure, Mrs. Weasley. Thank you for allowing me to come," he said.

Her grin faltered. "Yes, well, any friend of Hermione's," she replied before walking away.

Harry laughed when the witch was out of earshot. "That was awkward," he said. "She knows the two of you are married."

Hermione rolled her brown eyes. "_Everyone_ knows we're married," she replied. "That secret did not stay hidden long. I believe we have Ron to thank for that."

Days earlier, the gossip had been printed in the paper. Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy were drunkenly wed. Rita Skeeter, famous for her sensationalized journalism, had managed to snag the sound bite from Ron as he left the Aurors offices. For once, she had no need to embellish and ran with the story as is.

"I can't believe he would tell everyone," Harry said sadly, shaking his head.

Ginny snorted. "I can," she muttered. Three sets of eyes turned on her. "What? This is what he does. He does something stupid, someone gets mad at him for it, he acts like the whole world is against him, and then he does something stupid again. You really shouldn't be so shocked that it was Ron who did this. Angry yes, but not surprised."

"Is he...will he be here tonight?" Hermione asked.

"Don't know," Harry said. "We made it clear that he wasn't being given a plus one."

"I hate Astoria Greengrass," Ginny added. "With her stupid face and her awful voice. If she tries one more time to tell me exactly how a pureblood wife is supposed to act, I'm going to hex her to another country."

Draco snorted. "She would know," he said. "You know, being a good pureblood wife herself."

Hermione turned to face her husband, eyebrows raised. "Not bitter about the break up still, I hope," she commented.

Smiling, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close to his chest. "Haven't thought about it since I married you," he assured her.

"That's a load of rubbish," she replied. "But it's nice of you to say."

"We should mingle," Ginny said, directing their attention to newly arrived guests.

Draco led Hermione to the bar and ordered two club sodas. They weren't alone long when Hermione heard her name. It was a familiar voice, and she dreaded turning to face its owner. "Ron, hi," she said, moving closer to her husband. Draco placed his hand on her lower back, beneath her sweater; a gesture he knew would calm her nerves.

"Hey, Mione, could we talk?" Ron asked, rubbing the back of his neck.

She shook her head. "No, Ron, there's really nothing to say," she replied. A mere look at Draco told him it was time to move on.

"Just wait," Ron said, taking hold of her arm. "Can I at least apologize?"

Sighing, she stopped and turned to face him. "Apologize for what, Ron?" she wondered. "Cheating on me? Sharing my private life with Rita Skeeter? Or how about making me feel horrible for trying to move on after what you did to me?"

Letting go of her, Ron took a step back. "All of it," he admitted. "I never should have gotten involved with Astoria. I know that now."

"She dumped you," Draco realized. An embarrassed blush crept up Ron's neck as he nodded. Stepping in front of his wife, Draco sized Ron up and crossed his arms. "So, what, Weasley? You think things just go back to the way they used to be? You hurt my wife. For all your past public proclamations of love, you sure had a funny way of showing it. I'd suggest you stay away from my family."

Ron chuckled mirthlessly as the couple began to walk away. "What are you going to do about it, ferret?" he inquired.

Dropping Hermione's hand, Draco doubled back, pulled back his arm, and let his fist connect with Ron's nose. "That," he said, his voice menacingly low. "Like I said, stay away from my family."

"I think we should go now," Hermione whispered, pulling him away from her bleeding ex.

Nodding, he allowed her to lead him away from the growing crowd that had assembled around them. "I'm sorry about that," he said to her. "I just snapped."

She examined his bloody knuckles and smiled. "No guy has ever hit another man for me," she told him. "Thank you for defending me."

"I have a feeling no one else is going to be as happy as you are," he warned her. As they reached the exit, Harry and Ginny approached. "I'm so sorry," he told them.

"Don't be," Ginny said sourly as she glared at her brother. "He got what he deserved. Please don't leave. It really isn't necessary."

Shaking his head, Draco offered her a smile. "No, I think it might be better if we go," he replied. "I really am sorry I caused so much trouble."

Harry shrugged. "Looks to me like Ron's the only one bothered by it," he said. "However, if you insist on ducking out early, we demand brunch tomorrow."

"You're on," Draco replied with a smile. "Before the Quidditch game?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah, is Hermione coming with us?" he asked.

"Um, Hermione is standing right here," she interjected. "And no, I'm not going. I'm spending the day with my mother-in-law getting the house set up. One of us will be in tears by the end of the day."

"You'll be fine," Draco assured her, kissing the top of her head. "Just remember - she loves you more than she loves me."

"Well, that is true," she conceded. Turning to Harry and Ginny, she hugged them and said her goodbyes.

As they watched the couple walk away, Harry grinned. "They really are great together," he commented.

"Yeah," his fiancee agreed. "Almost as great as us."


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Narcissa was busily flipping through paint samples when Hermione arrived at the home that had been gifted to the couple. "Sorry I'm late," she said, setting her purse down by the front door. "We went to brunch with Harry and Ginny, and I haven't been feeling well. Must have eaten something that didn't agree with me."

The older witch put down the swatch book just long enough to greet her. "I can have one of our elves bring you over a potion," she offered.

Hermione quickly turned it down. "No, I'll be fine," she insisted. "So, what did you have in mind for the living room? That coral looks lovely."

Narcissa frowned and shook her head. "No, it doesn't quite go in this room," she decided. "The kitchen perhaps. I was thinking a soft yellow for this room. It might also be wise to decide what to do with that spare room. A library maybe, or perhaps a nursery?"

Shrugging, the young witch told her that she liked the idea of a library. She was sure her mother-in-law knew about the pregnancy, but Hermione wasn't ready to tell her just yet. Tapping her wand to the color Narcissa had selected for the kitchen, Hermione suggested she get to work while the older witch handled the living room.

Safely in the sanctuary of the kitchen, Hermione removed the charmed galleon from her pocket and messaged her husband. _I think she knows_, she told him. Not expecting an answer anytime soon, she got to work painting the kitchen a soft shade of coral.

_Knows what?_ Draco messaged back half an hour later. Rolling her eyes, she pocketed the coin without replying. She was soon done with her task and returned to the living room. The walls were finished and Narcissa had moved on to rearranging the furniture. Hermione watched as the couches and chairs, coffee and end tables zipped around the room. Finally giving up, she returned each piece of furniture to its original spot.

"All done?" she asked, turning to see Hermione standing behind her.

Hermione nodded before taking a deep breath. "Yeah, the kitchen's done," she reported. "Would you mind if I sit for a bit? I'm really not feeling well."

Frowning, Narcissa led her upstairs to the master bedroom. "In here," she said. "The smell of the drying paint can't be good for your stomach. Besides, we need to figure out what to do with this room. You know the two of you don't have to keep this furniture. Just because it came with the house doesn't mean you're obligated to use it."

Hermione laid down on the bed and shut her eyes. "It's pretty comfortable," she replied. "All of my furniture is hand-me-downs. The only thing I replaced was my parents' mattress. Some of it I'd like to keep though. The rocking chair in our bedroom belonged to my grandmother. Oh, and one of the sofas, the small one, I'd like to keep as well. When I was little, I spilled fruit punch on one of the cushions. I thought my mother was going to be so mad, but she just smiled and said that now the room had a touch of red. She always told me that was important."

Narcissa smiled as she rested a hand on the girl's forehead to feel for a fever. "I think that sounds lovely," she murmured. "Why don't you get some rest? I'll finish up downstairs. We'll save the second floor for another day."

Nodding, Hermione settled into the pillows and let sleep claim her. Quietly, Narcissa slipped out of the bedroom and made her way down the hall to the spare room. If her suspicions were correct, her son and daughter-in-law were expecting. A grandchild! She couldn't help but smile at the thought. The room would make the perfect nursery, she decided, picturing exactly how it would be decorated.

So lost in her thoughts was she that she hadn't heard the master bedroom door open nor the panicked voice that called out for her. Narcissa gasped when she finally heard Hermione. "What's wrong?" she asked, turning to look at the sickly pale girl.

"We need to go to St. Mungo's," Hermione said. "Now."

000000000000

"How's Hermione coping with your mum?" Harry asked as he sipped his butterbeer.

Draco shrugged, watching the action on the field. "She messaged me once, but I haven't heard from her since. What do you think? Murder-suicide?"

Harry chuckled. "Hormonal Hermione is pretty scary, isn't she," he commented, groaning when the Magpies scored.

Draco scoffed. "_Regular_ Hermione is scary," he replied. "I swear she abuses me. I'll never be able to wear short pants because I have to cover up the bruises on my legs. All night long, all she does is kick."

"Be glad she's not shorter," Harry stated. "She kicks any higher, the two of you might have gone your whole lives childless."

"The funny thing is, until she showed me the test, I never thought about kids," Draco admitted. "I never really wanted them. I've never even held a baby. Honestly, the thought of having one of my own scares me a bit."

Harry understood. Until his godson was born, he too had never had any interaction with small children. "You get used to it," he shared. "It's almost like instinct. You hold them and you just know what to do. At least, that's how I felt with Teddy. If you want, I'm sure I could talk Andromeda into letting you and Hermione babysit. He's almost three, but it's a start, right?"

Nodding, Draco smiled. "Thanks, that would be great," he replied, waving to Ginny as she flew by. "Wait, Andromeda? Andromeda Black?"

It was then that the familial connection dawned on Harry. "Yes, right, your aunt," he said. "Sorry, sometimes I forget. The two of you never met, right?"

Turning his gaze back to the game, Draco shook his head. "No, in my family, marrying beneath your station earned you excommunication," he replied bitterly. "I didn't even know she existed until Sirius Black was killed. My mother...I don't think I'd ever seen her so upset. That's when she told me about the ostracized family members."

"She's great. Very kind and loving," Harry told him. "The complete opposite of Bellatrix in every way, I think. Well, except appearance. Hermione nearly fainted the first time she saw her after the war. It was like Bellatrix come back to life, but less crazy-looking."

Draco shuddered at the thought. Bellatrix, with her wild hair, crazy eyes, and deranged smile, haunted his dreams. He knew she plagued Hermione's as well. Though he had never told his mother, he was glad that she had been killed. No one else would ever suffer at her hand again.

"I think I'd like to meet her," he finally decided.

Harry clapped him on the back. "I'll set something up," he promised.

It was then that a nervous usher approached their seats. "Mr. Malfoy?" he asked. Draco nodded, indicating that he had found the right person. "This just arrived from St. Mungo's for you, sir."


	18. Chapter 18

Happy Friday! Please don't hate me when finish reading this chapter.

* * *

Chapter 18

"Where is she?" Draco demanded, spotting his mother near the entrance. "What happened?"

Narcissa grasped his arm as he attempted to enter the hospital. "Calm down, sweetheart," she said, her voice soft and calming. "Hermione is okay."

He breathed a short-lived sigh of relief. "What's going on?" he asked. "Please, Mum. Please, just tell me."

"Let's go inside. The Healer can explain it to you," she suggested, leading him into the hospital.

His heart beat rapidly, pounding against his ribs. "The maternity ward?" he asked. "Why is she in the maternity ward?"

Narcissa gave no reply as she showed him to Hermione's room. He went in alone. The lights were off and the curtains drawn open to let in the sunlight. She sniffled, but gave no indication that she knew he was there.

"Hermione?" he asked nervously, sitting on the bed beside her.

She continued to stare out the window. "It's gone," she whispered. "The baby's gone."

"What happened?" he asked, reaching for her hand.

Pulling it away, she rolled onto her side and tucked her hands beneath the pillow. "My stomach was hurting," she recalled. "And then there was blood. Not a lot. Just enough to make me nervous. And now the baby's gone. I'm so sorry, Draco."

Sighing, he laid down behind her and rested his hand on her stomach. "You have nothing to be sorry for," he told her. "You've done nothing wrong. And this doesn't change the way I feel about you. I still love you, and I will always love you. We could have one kid or ten or none, I'm never going to stop feeling this way about you."

She turned over to face him and attempted a smile in response to his kind words. "I really wanted it," she said.

"I know, love," he murmured, drying her cheeks. "I did too. We'll try again though."

Nodding, she closed her eyes. They laid together, letting silence wash over them. But the silence did nothing but churn thoughts in Hermione's brain. "What if I can't?" she asked suddenly.

"Can't what?" he wondered, brows wrinkled in confusion.

Sitting up, she stared down at him. "Get pregnant again," she said. "What if there's some kind of damage from the miscarriage or my body isn't built for motherhood? What if I can't have a baby?"

Taking her hand, he held it tight enough that she couldn't pull away. "There are tests that they can run, I'm sure," he told her, trying to remain positive. "And if by some chance we can't have a baby, there are other options. Surrogacy, adoption. One way or another, we'll be parents." Hermione nodded, but he could still read the worry on her face. "Come on, lie down. I'm going to go find a Healer. Ask him about our options."

He waited for her to comply before removing himself from the bed and the room. Sighing, he leaned against the wall, trying to get his wits about him. So lost in his thoughts of Hermione and the baby was he that he didn't hear the person calling his name until she was upon him.

"Merlin, Pansy," he gasped when she shook his shoulder. "What are you doing here?"

She glanced at her white Healer's robes and smiled. "Working," she told him. "You?"

He pointed to the nearest room. "Hermione," he replied.

The dark haired girl grinned. "Right, yes, the wife," she said. "How's that going? You didn't hex her, right? There's another reason she's here."

"Miscarriage," he told her sadly. "And no, I didn't cause it."

Frowning, she offered him a comforting pat on the arm. "If there's anything I can do," she said. "I've been working in the maternity ward for a few months now, so I've gotten in with a lot of the more well to-do Healers. You need strings pulled, I'm your puppet master."

"Thanks," he replied. "Why don't you come in, say hello? She's got...a million questions, and I know the answers to exactly zero of them. It might calm her down a bit to have some."

Nodding, he followed her into Hermione's room and greeted the witch with a kind, sympathetic smile. "I, um, I'm not sure what I should call you," Pansy realized, taking a seat beside the bed. "Granger seems wrong. Hermione's too personal, and given our history, a bit odd. Mrs. Malfoy sounds even stranger."

"Hermione's fine," she replied, turning to her husband with a questioning look. "What's going on?"

"I'm a Healer, with a specialty in midwifery," Pansy explained. "Draco told me what happened, and I was hoping I could help."

Hermione glanced at the girl who had once teased and harassed her. "Why would you want to help me?" she wondered.

Pansy flipped open her chart and began to skim it. "Well, Draco's always been a good friend to me, even when I didn't deserve it," she replied. "And yes, there's been some bad blood between you and me in the past, but I don't want it to be that way forever. Draco's not the only one whose mind was changed by the war."

"Oh, well okay then," Hermione replied. "Well, I guess my first question is-"

"Draco, would you mind stepping out?" Pansy asked. "I'd rather we be able to talk privately."

He obliged, returning to his mother in the waiting room. "Pansy kicked me out," he muttered, sitting down beside her. "Thank you for being here with her."

Narcissa smoothed back his hair. "Of course," she murmured. "Is she alright?"

"You mean aside from losing our baby?" he asked. "Physically, she's fine. Pansy's checking her out now. It's just...something else is bothering me, Mum."

Harry and Ginny, sweaty and dirty from the game, arrived then. "Is she okay? Can we see her?" Harry asked. Shaking his head, Draco got to his feet and moved to the other side of the large room. Harry followed and sat down beside him. "Mate, you're scaring me."

"She lost the baby," Draco said, rubbing his hands across his face. "She lost the baby and thinks she'll never be able to have one again. And now she's in there with Pansy who's suddenly an expert midwife. What if she tells her that she's right? What if we can't have a baby? Do you have any idea what that will do to Hermione?"

Harry sighed. "Yeah, I think I have an idea," he replied sadly. "But there are other ways. There are still so many kids who were orphaned by the war. Kids who would be lucky to have the two of you as parents."

"What if that's not enough for her?" Draco wondered, his gray eyes shining with tears. "What if she becomes depressed again and can't pull herself out of it? Harry, what if I lose her too?"


	19. Chapter 19

This is the last chapter before the epilogue!

* * *

Chapter 19

Harry arrived at the Malfoys' flat the morning after Hermione was released from the hospital. "How's she doing?" he asked, finding Draco in the kitchen.

Draco shrugged as he scrambled eggs. "She's Hermione," he responded. "She puts on a brave face, doesn't talk about it, but you know that geyser is just waiting to erupt. We came home last night, and she went straight to bed. She still won't tell me what she and Pansy talked about."

"She'll tell you when she's ready to tell you," Harry assured him. "I'm sure she's just processing. You know Hermione. She's going to research this and come up with the best possible solutions before she talks about it."

Nodding, he shut off the stove and transferred the eggs to a nearby plate. "I hope you're right," he told his friend. "I just worry about her pulling away again."

Harry rested his hand on Draco's shoulder. "She's not going to leave you over this," he said. "It's not your fault that she lost the baby. It's not hers either. Sometimes things just happen, mate."

Picking up the breakfast tray, he carried it to the bedroom. "Hey," he greeted his wife, hoping his smile seemed genuine. "I have breakfast and Harry."

Hermione, sitting up, wrinkled her nose at the smell of food. "I'm not hungry," she replied. "Are you planning to go to work today?"

Setting the food down on the nightstand, Draco took a seat on the bed beside her. "No, Harry gave me permission to take a few days off," he said.

"And has Harry extended himself the same courtesy?" she inquired sourly. Draco gasped her name as a chastisement, but she ignored him as she eyed her friend.

"I just wanted to see that you were alright," Harry told her with a frown. "We'll talk when you're feeling better."

Draco watched him walk away from the bedroom, and when Harry was out of sight, he turned to his wife. "That was uncalled for," he told her, scowling.

She laid back down, pulling the blankets to her chin. "I just want to be left alone," she told him. "I'm tired and my stomach hurts. All I want to do is sleep until everything feels better."

Sighing, his anger passed. "Sleeping isn't going to make things better," he told her, smoothing back her hair. "I know you're upset, and I completely understand. Staying in bed all day, getting mad at the people who love you, isn't the solution."

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

Leaning down, he kissed her forehead before lying down beside her. "Don't be," he said softly. "Just be here. Stay with me."

She rolled over to face him. "Sure you still want me?" she asked.

Draco frowned. "Of course I do," he replied. "You don't really think I'd leave you because of this, do you?"

Shrugging a shoulder, she decided it was time to tell him what she and Pansy had discussed. "She told me that we'll be able to have a baby, but I'm considered high risk," she shared. "There's no telling how long it could take though."

"That's okay," he assured her. "We can take our time. We're young, we've got years to try. Please don't stress yourself out of this though. I'll never leave you, Hermione. You're stuck with me for life. I just wish I could figure out a way to make you see that."

She placed her hand on his chest, relaxing as his heart pounded against her palm. "I'm tired of feeling like this," she admitted. It had been too long since she had last been happy, she decided. It was time for something to change.

"What can I do?" he asked her.

For the first time in days, Hermione smiled. "You've already done enough," she replied. "I know I've been...difficult, but you make me happy."

He pressed his lips to hers. "You make me happy too," he said. "And you're really pretty when you smile. When we have a baby, I hope it has your smile."

"Do you really think it'll happen?" she asked, her dark brows furrowing.

Draco nodded. "You know I do," he replied. "Why don't you eat a little and take a nap? I promised Mum I'd call her with an update."

Reluctantly, she agreed and accepted the food Draco had made for her. He left the door slightly ajar as he made his way to the living room. Sitting down on the sofa, he took a moment to close his tired eyes before calling his mother. He couldn't remember the last time he had felt so exhausted. For Hermione, though, he knew he would forgo sleep in order to ensure her happiness. A smile subconsciously formed on his lips as he thought of his wife. She wanted to be happy, and he made her happy.

After checking that Hermione had eaten and was fast asleep, he returned to the living room and stepped into the fireplace. Narcissa was surprised by his arrival, but made no fuss about proper visiting procedures. Rather, she was more concerned with her daughter-in-law's well-being following the miscarriage.

"There's something I wanted to talk to you about," he said, taking a seat across from her. "Hermione's fine, or she will be. She's a fighter, Mum. I know she'll pull herself out of this, and I'll do whatever I can to help her."

Narcissa nodded. "What is it you wanted to discuss with me?" she asked.

"The engagement ring," he told her. "The one that's been passed on to every Malfoy bride. Eloping, I never had time to get her an engagement ring, but I want her to have one."

Smiling, she got to her feet and crossed the room. Stopping in front of the vanity, Narcissa opened the top drawer and removed a small black box. After placing it in his hand, she reclaimed her seat. "Are you sure this is the one you want her to have?" Narcissa asked. "Please don't take offense, sweetheart. You've just changed so much. You're so unlike your ancestors that I just wonder if perhaps you'd like something with a little less...history."

"Did you have something in mind?" he asked.

Nodding, she stood again and disappeared into her bedroom. Minutes later she returned with a simple diamond ring in her hand. "It seems more Hermione's taste, doesn't it?" she said, handing her son the ring. The center stone was smaller and the band thinner.

"Yeah, it does," he replied, admiring the ring. "Thank you, Mum."

"Let me know if she likes it," she said. "It belonged to my sister, Andromeda. She intended to pass it on to her daughter, but never did. When the stories started coming out about the two of you, she sent it to me, told me to do something useful with it."

Draco kissed her cheek and thanked her again before returning home. He entered the bedroom to find Hermione was starting to wake. Lying down beside her, he stroked her cheek. "You're so beautiful," he murmured.

Smiling, she cuddled close to him. "I love you," she whispered. Before he could reply, she asked, "Draco, will you marry me?"

Chuckling, he reached into his pocket and produced the ring. "I was going to ask you the same thing," he replied, slipping it onto her finger.


	20. Epilogue

Epilogue

"This is it," Pansy said with a smile. "Today's the day you and Draco finally get to meet your little girl."

Hermione took a deep breath and exhaled through her nose. "Don't say anything to jinx it," she warned her friend. "It's worst case scenario until she's in my arms."

Draco grimaced as his wife squeezed his hand as another contraction passed. "Just focus on this," he advised her. "Don't think about anything else. We trust Pansy. Just keep reminding yourself of that."

Pansy scowled. "I can't tell if that was an insult or a compliment," she said. "Look, Hermione, I promise I will do everything I can to make sure you get to hold your baby. Sell my soul, if I have to. You deserve this so much."

"Okay, good. Great," Hermione replied as another contraction hit. "Just tell me I can start pushing and this will all be over soon. It hurts and I need the hurting to stop."

Wand in hand, the Healer assessed her friend. "Looks like she's ready to meet you," Pansy announced. "Draco, do you want to stay in here?"

Glancing at his wife for permission, Hermione held his hand tighter. "Yeah, I'm staying," he replied.

Pansy nodded. "Okay then. Hermione, get ready to push," she instructed.

Closing her eyes, she pushed and tried to think of anything but the pain. She thought of her wedding. With her diligent input, Narcissa had planned a beautiful, small ceremony in the Manor gardens. Ginny and Pansy had served as bridesmaids, while Harry and Blaise Zabini stood beside Draco. She recalled the smile Lucius wore as he walked her down the flower-lined aisle and the threat he issued to Draco should he ever hurt her. Their vows were still fresh in her memory - the promise to love each other, to remain faithful until death did they part.

The next time she was told to push, she thought back to their honeymoon in Fiji. It had been two weeks of pristine beaches, warm weather, a beautiful hotel, and her husband. The concept of sun block was new and lost on Draco, and therefore, he refused to use it. After three days in the sun that resulted in three different sunburns, Hermione decided she would no longer heal them. It was only then that he gave the cream a try.

"Okay, Hermione, just one more big push," Pansy said. "Her head's out and she's beautiful."

Hermione complied, pushing as hard as she could until the need to breathe overwhelmed her. "Oh my goodness," she heard Draco say, awe rich in his voice. "She's here. She's actually here."

Despite exhaustion, Hermione forced herself to sit up. "Where is she?" she asked in a panic. "I don't hear her. Is she alright?"

Draco stroked her sweat dampened hair. "She's fine," he assured her. "Pansy's just getting her cleaned up. Even covered in muck, our daughter is perfect."

"You're biased," Pansy said as she laid the baby in her mother's arms, "but yes, she is. Do you want me to let anyone know she's here? Are your parents here, Draco?"

Draco shook his head. It had been just after midnight when Hermione had shaken him awake to tell him that her water broke. He had alerted Pansy to meet them at the hospital. Hermione began to strip the bed, calm as ever, while Draco stumbled about like a chicken without his head, trying to gather anything and everything they might need.

"I didn't have time to call them," he replied.

Pansy nodded. "Get to know your daughter. I'll call them," she promised. "Can I get you two anything?"

Hermione stared at the newborn in her arms and shook her head. "We're good," she replied, her voice sounding dreamy.

Pansy left, closing the door behind her. Draco sat on the bed beside mother and child, watching as his daughter ate her first meal. "She has your nose," he said.

"And your hair color," Hermione added. "Hopefully she doesn't get her volume from me. Vocally or follically."

Draco grinned. "As long as she doesn't get my chin," he replied. "Merlin help her, poor thing, if she does."

Hermione sighed, unable to take her eyes off the baby. "Still like the name we picked?" she asked.

"I still think it's perfect," he replied, stroking his daughter's cheek. "Three years later, and I still think it's the perfect name."

Pansy waited near the lifts for the Malfoys and Potters. When Narcissa and Lucius arrived, there were tears in the witch's crystal blue eyes, and Pansy wasn't sure if they were tears of joy or sorrow. "Everything went very well," she assured them. "Come see for yourself."

She led them to Hermione's room and left to await Harry and Ginny's arrival. Narcissa gasped as she neared the bed and the new, smiling parents. "May I hold her?" she asked. Hermione seemed hesitant, but transferred the baby to her grandmother's welcoming arms. "She's precious! Oh, and look, Lucius, she has Draco's ears. Everything else is Hermione."

"Better watch out, Draco," Lucius commented as he assessed the baby. "You'll be chasing the boys away if she's as pretty as her mother. Might I suggest homeschooling?"

Draco chuckled. "If she's anything like her mother, she won't need me to chase them away. She'll just punch them in the nose," he replied.

Hermione blushed. "It's the first thing I plan to teach her," she added.

"You haven't mentioned her name," his father pointed out. "Have you decided on one?"

Narcissa rolled her eyes. "Do you honestly believe that Hermione would leave a detail that important to the last minute?" she asked.

"She has a name," Hermione told them. "We're just waiting for Harry and Pansy. I told you that we asked them to be her godparents?"

By the time Pansy returned with the Potters, the baby was in Lucius's arms. With the arrival of the young couple's friends, Lucius reluctantly handed his granddaughter back to Hermione. She grinned as she looked from Harry, Ginny, and Pansy to her in-laws before finally glancing at her husband. "Everyone," she said, "we'd like to introduce you to Faith Malfoy."

The End


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